THE IMPORTANCE OF CONDUCT PROBLEMS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN PREDICTING ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE

The current study assessed the relative importance of conduct problems and depressive symptoms, measured at two ages (11 and 15), for predic ting substance use at age 15 in an unselected birth cohort of New Zeal and adolescents. Among males, when the relative predictive utility of both conduct problems and depressive symptoms was assessed, only pre-a dolescent depressive symptoms were found to predict multiple drug use 4 years later. No predictive relation was found between early symptoma tology and later substance use among females. The strongest associatio n between predictors and substance use emerged between age 15 multiple drug use and concurrent conduct problems for both males and females. Finally, both conduct problems and depressive symptoms at age 15 were also found to be associated with concurrent ''self-medication'' among females.