Personal and familial correlates of adolescent substance abuse

This study examined relationships that exist between alcohol/drug user behaviors, psychopathology, family relationships and substance abuse or dependency. A hospitalized youth population served as the sample. Six instruments were used in this study from which 20 variables were chosen for analysis.; Based on a review of literature this study hypothesized that subjects manifesting early family relationship difficulties and early conduct disorder would begin to use alcohol and drugs at an earlier age, and in turn, manifest later elevations in measures of psychopathology and symptomatology. It was expected that these same individuals would be more inclined to become dependent upon illicit substances, use more of these substances, and experience more problems that are associated with increased use of psychoactive substances when compared to subjects who reported fewer family relationship difficulties and did not manifest conduct disorder before age 12.; Results obtained suggest that Minimal Brain Dysfunction (MBD) manifest after the age of twelve was associated with the DSM-III-R diagnosis of Dependency. When MBD was broken down into more specific areas of disturbance, i.e., conduct problems, etc., findings were less robust.; Additional research was suggested, including duplication of this study with the larger Rutger's sample. Future studies which can examine neuropsychological functioning in detail, longitudinally, were recommended.