PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY DIFFERENCES IN MALE AND FEMALE ADOLESCENT INPATIENTS WITH ALCOHOL-USE DISORDERS

Objective: To examine gender differences in demography, cooccurrence o f Diagnostic Statistical Manual (third edition, revised; DSM-III-R) ax is I disorders and axis II personality disorders, and self-reported ps ychological distress in adolescent psychiatric inpatients with alcohol use disorders. Method: A consecutive series of 61 adolescent inpatien ts (36 boys and 25 girls) with either alcohol abuse or dependence were reliably assessed with structured diagnostic interviews for DSM-III-R Axis I and Axis II personality disorders. Results: Boys and girls did not differ in age, ethnicity socioeconomic status, global functioning age at first psychiatric contact, or number of hospitalizations. Girl s were more likely to meet criteria for oppositional defiant disorder, eating disorders, and additional drug Else disorders. Girls were also more likely than boys to meet criteria for at least one personality d isorder and borderline personality, Contrary to gender patterns in the general population, the proportion of girls and boys with affective d isorders and conduct disorders did not differ significantly. Conclusio ns: Relatively few gender differences were found in adolescent inpatie nt alcohol abusers even where they would be expected, based on non sub stance-abuse general population gender patterns. When observed gender differences were in the direction of greater psychiatric disturbance a mong girls. Some of the gender patterns observed among alcohol abusing adolescents are at odds with gender differences observed in non subst ance-abuse samples.