Exploratory study of the psychopathological profiles of adolescent cannabis users (original) (raw)
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Cannabis use and delinquent behaviors in a non-clinical sample of adolescents
Addictive Behaviors, 2010
The aim of the study was to evaluate the contribution of cannabis to the prediction of delinquent behaviors. Participants were 615 high-school students who completed self-report questionnaires. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that cannabis use was a significant independent predictor of delinquent behaviors after adjustment for alcohol use, psychopathological and socio-familial variables. Cannabis use was associated with greater numbers of delinquent behaviors among adolescents with higher scores on psychopathic traits or depressive symptoms.
The Adolescent Cannabis Problems Questionnaire (CPQ-A): Psychometric properties
Addictive Behaviors, 2006
Despite the widespread use of cannabis among young people, little research attention has been given to the development of psychometrically sound measures specific to cannabis related problems in this group. The aim of this study was to explore the reliability, validity and factor structure of a multi-dimensional measure of cannabis-related problems among adolescents. The Adolescent Cannabis Problems Questionnaire (CPQ-A) was developed as an assessment tool and treatment outcome measure. A stratified sample of 100 young people (aged 14–18 years) who had used cannabis in the past 90 days were administered the CPQ-A on two occasions 1 week apart. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors accounting for 63% of total variance with alpha coefficients of 0.88, 0.72 and 0.73. The CPQ-A was reliable with test–retest correlation for the total CPQ-A being 0.91. CPQ-A score correlated significantly with frequency of cannabis use and number of DSM-IV dependence criteria reported. The findings show promise for the CPQ-A as a reliable, valid and potentially clinically useful measure of cannabis related problems among young people.
Development of a short cannabis problems questionnaire for adolescents in the community
Addictive Behaviors, 2010
The widespread and harmful use of cannabis amongst young people in the community has been well established. In order to assist in identifying young people at risk of harm for their cannabis use, the present paper documents the development of a short 12-item cannabis problems measure — the Cannabis Problems Questionnaire for Adolescents, Short form (CPQ-A-S). The CPQ-A-S was derived from the 27-item Cannabis Problems Questionnaire for Adolescents (CPQ-A) which had been shown in an earlier study to be a reliable and valid indicator of cannabis problems in adolescents. Tetrachoric correlations amongst items were examined and the more redundant items removed. Psychometrics of the shorter scale were then evaluated through factor analysis, and logistic regression used to demonstrate scale validity. This is the first short scale of cannabis problems derived for adolescents and it should prove a useful tool in both research and community applications.
American Journal on Addictions, 2009
Employing a prospective paradigm, this investigation derived the childhood phenotype and the environtype associated with risk for cannabis use disorder. Two hundred and sixteen boys were evaluated between age 10-12 on a comprehensive protocol using self, mother, and teacher reports and followed-up at ages 19 and 22 to determine the presence of cannabis use disorder. The Transmissible Liability Index (TLI) and Non-Transmissible Liability Index (NTLI) were derived using item response theory. Logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of the indexes, singly and in combination, to predict cannabis use disorder. The TLI and NTLI together predicted with 70% and 75% accuracy cannabis use disorder manifest by age 19 and age 22. Sensitivity was 75% at both ages 19 and 22, whereas specificity was respectively 51% and 64%. The findings pertaining to sensitivity indicate that SUD risk for cannabis use disorder can be screened in childhood; however, the specificity scores demonstrate that a low score on the TLI does not inevitably portend a good prognosis up to 10 years later. Cannabis is the most frequently used illicit drug. Huge expenditures and intensive effort are accordingly directed at reducing prevalence of consumption through interdiction; criminal prosecution; crop poisoning; and family-, school-, and community-centered prevention programs. These efforts notwithstanding, the prevalence of cannabis use is high, and currently is essentially the same as two decades ago. In 2006, the annual prevalence was 31.5% among high school seniors compared to 33.1% in 1988, 1 when the Office of National Drug Control Policy was established. Experimentation with drugs during adolescent development does not invariably portend an adverse outcome. 2 Regular cannabis users, however, have elevated rates of psychiatric disorder. Notably, the rates of anxiety and depression disorders are as high as 31% and 46% among adolescents who have used cannabis at least 10 times. 3 Evidence has also been accrued that indicates that habitual cannabis use amplifies the risk for psychosis. 4 Whereas lifetime prevalence of cannabis dependence in the population is 4.2%, 5 up to 90% of affected individuals have a co-occurring mental disorder. 6 The epidemiological findings underscore both the importance and difficulty of detecting high risk youths. One method of identifying high risk youths is based on the observation that children whose parents have substance use disorder (SUD) are 4-7 times more likely to also develop SUD. 7 However, parental history as a method of detecting high risk youth
Changes in cannabis use among young people
Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 2013
The aim of this review was to examine current trends in cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) among youth, and to investigate recent findings concerning the relationship between cannabis use and mental health concerns, with a focus on how use during adolescence may interact with related mental health disorders.
Cannabis and psychopathology: Update 2004
2004
Cannabis is the world's most commonly used illicit drug, with approximately 200 to 300 million regular users. It occupies fourth place in worldwide popularity among psychoactive drugs, after caffeine, nicotine and alcohol (Macfadden et al., 2000). The prevalence of lifetime use of cannabis by young adults has increased in many developed countries over the past several decades (Hall et al., 1999). The ready availability of the drug, the increasing social disapproval of cigarette smoking, stern drinking laws, and perceptions that cannabis is safe or less harmful than cigarettes or alcohol may explain these changes (Rey and Tennant, 2002). Cannabis is also associated with significant psychiatric comorbidity. In a review published in this Journal 10 years ago (Basu et al., 1994), the authors had reviewed the status of various psychopathologies associated with cannabis. A lot of new research has been published since then, partly settling some of the old controversies while raising new ones. The topic is relevant because psychopathology and comorbid psychiatric disorders are still very common among heavy cannabis users in treatment settings, both in India (Sarkar et al., 2003) and abroad (Arendt and Munk-Jorgensen, 2004). It was felt that an update was necessary to take a stock of the situation and to direct new research in this area. In the current update we specifically focus on research in this area over the last 10-15 years. Only very
Clinical correlates of cannabis use among adolescent psychiatric inpatients
Objectives: This study sought to determine the clinical correlates of adolescents with cannabis use and no additional drug use (CU) compared to adolescents with no drug use (NDU) among a group of adolescent psychiatric inpatients in Israel. Methods: Two hundred and thirty-six patients consecutively admitted to an adolescent inpatient unit at a university-affiliated mental health center in Israel during a 3-year period were screened. Individuals with polydrug use were excluded from the study. Results: Prevalence of cannabis use was 13%. In the CU group, 39% were diagnosed with attention deficit and disruptive behavior disorders compared with 16% in the NDU group. Antipsychotics were the most common medications prescribed in both groups. Mood stabilizers were more frequently prescribed to CU than to NDU patients (39% vs 16%, respectively). A higher prevalence of alcohol abuse and criminal behaviors was found among CU compared to NDU patients (61% and 39% vs 6% and 4%, respectively). Conclusions: The high prevalence of disruptive behaviors and frequent treatment with antipsychotics and mood stabilizers in the CU group may be related to the strong association between externalizing behavior and cannabis use and the non-specific pharmacological treatment of disruptive behaviors. Formal screening for cannabis use should be considered in psychiatric facilities. Specifically, adolescents with disruptive behaviors could benefit from early interventions, before and after cannabis initiation. ß
Psychosocial Predictors of Cannabis Use in Adolescents at Risk
Prevention Science, 2005
This research has tested a social disintegration model in conjunction with risk and protection factors that have the power to differentiate relative, weighted interactions among variables in different socially disintegrated groups. The model was tested in a cross-sectional sample of 1082 at-risk youth in Switzerland. Structural equation analyses show significant differences between the social disintegration (low, moderate, high) groups and gender, indicating that the model works differently for groups and for gender. For the highly disintegrated adolescents results clearly show that the risk factors (negative mood, peer network, delinquency) are more important than the protective factors (family relations, secure sense of self). Family relations lose all protective value against negative peer influence, but personal variables, such as secure self, gain protective power.
Psychosocial correlates of adolescent marijuana use: Variations by status of marijuana use
Addictive Behaviors, 2011
Introduction-This study examined the associations between psychosocial factors and status of marijuana use: former experimentation, current occasional, and current frequent use. Methods-Data were collected from a nationally-representative sample of U.S. tenth-graders who participated in the 2005/6 Health Behavior in School-aged Children Study (n=1,465). Multinomial regressions, run separately by gender, examined the association of risk and protective factors from the individual (life satisfaction; academic achievement; aggression, bullying) and contextual (mothers and fathers' knowledge of adolescents' activities, school climate) domains with status of marijuana use (former experimentation, current occasional use, current frequent use). Results-Former experimental and current marijuana use were negatively associated with protective factors such as academic achievement, mothers' and fathers' knowledge of adolescents' activities, and life satisfaction, but not with positive school climate. Former experimental and current marijuana use were positively associated with aggression and bullying perpetration. Most associations varied by gender and status of marijuana use. In adjusted analyses, aggression emerged as the sole risk factor and fathers' knowledge as the sole protective factor that were positively associated with most statuses of marijuana use, across gender. Conclusion-Fathers may be particularly important in preventing adolescent marijuana use, and interventions promoting fathers' knowledge of adolescents' activities are warranted.