SUBSTANCE DISORDER AMONG PERSONS WITH MILD MENTAL-RETARDATION

The authors compared the nature and severity of substance disorder (SD ) in patients with mental retardation (MR) compared with SD in non-MR patients. Subjects were patients sequentially admitted to alcoholism/a ddiction programs in two university medical centers (MR+SD = 40; SD-on ly = 308). Data were collected on demographic characteristics, substan ce use history, SD duration and severity, and family history of SD. Su bjects with MRS SD began substance use at a later age, used fewer subs tances during their lifetime (especially illicit substances), used les s frequently in the past year, had lower severity scores on measures o f substance abuse severity, and demonstrated milder and briefer substa nce use histories. It appears that less substance abuse is required in MR than in non-MR persons to precipitate psychosocial crises and heal th problems associated with psychoactive substances.