DEPRESSION IN SUBSTANCE-DEPENDENT DELINQUENTS

Objective: Depression often is comorbid with conduct disorder. The pur pose of this study is to assess whether, among youths with conduct dis order, those with depression differ in other ways from those without d epression. Method: Ninety-nine delinquent boys (aged 13 through 19 yea rs) were evaluated with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children and other instruments. All boys had conduct disorder and substance us e disorders. Results: Staff-rated and self-rated depression scores cor related significantly. Twenty-one boys had major depression and/or dys thymia. Depressed boys had more substance dependence diagnoses and wer e more likely to have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, posttr aumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders, compared with the nond epressed boys. Depressed boys tended to develop conduct symptoms earli er than did the nondepressed boys. Depression scores did not change af ter at least 4 weeks of abstinence, for either depressed or nondepress ed boys. Conclusions: Depressed delinquents have more substance depend ence diagnoses, tend to initiate behavioral problems at an earlier age , have increased anxiety and attentional problems, and more trauma eff ects, than nondepressed delinquents. Depression does not appear to be related to substance intoxication, since it is not alleviated after 4 weeks of abstinence. Such boys may require combined psychiatric and su bstance treatment.