Examining psychosocial correlates of drug involvement among drug clinic-referred youth

This cross-sectional study examined the validity of the conduct disorder hy pothesis of adolescent drug involvement, largely tested to date on normal p opulations, on a large drug clinic-referred sample (N = 2582). All subjects met DSM-III-R criteria for either abuse or dependence of at least one psyc hoactive substance. Based on self-report data from the Personal Experience Inventory (PEI) (Winters & Henly, 1989), multiple regression analyses were conducted to predict prior twelve months drug use frequency from psychosoci al risk variables. It was hypothesized that the Delinquency factor would ac count for the most variance in drug use compared to three competing factors (Psychological Distress, Nonconventional Values, and Family Distress). The analyses provided support for the hypothesis across gender, age and ethnic groups. The Delinquency factor uniquely accounted for about 50%-60% of the variance in drug use severity. Backward deletion regression analysis of in dividual scales indicated that Peer Chemical Environment and Deviant Behavi or (both part of the Delinquency block) and, to a lesser degree, Psychologi cal Disturbance (part of the Psychological Distress block), were consistent ly the most predictive of drug use. The findings are seen as consistent wit h the viewpoint that delinquency behaviors are important mediators of adole scent drug abuse and, thus, they merit central attention in prevention prog rams. The continuing need to develop and test theories about the pathways t o drug involvement pertinent to severe-end, clinic-referred adolescents is discussed.