Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Predictors of Adolescent Substance Abuse - Recent Research on Risk Factors
"It is increasingly recognized that manifestation of substance use disorder is the result of the cumulative interaction between the individual and environment". The culmination of environmental factors (e.g., social, familial, and geographical) coupled with individual predispositions (e.g., psychological and biological) towards drug use can result in drug addiction for the adolescent. Environmental risk factors are commonly known to be the following: Association with deviants, dysfunctional familial environment, and low socioeconomic status, to name a few. Individually speaking, psychological characteristics exhibited by youth at high risk for drug addiction produces a much more diverse pattern. At the root of addiction is a core inhibitory disorder, (which prevents adolescents from being capable of controlling their impulses and desires. Of equal weight on the individual dimension of the at-risk youth is the part that genetics play. "Genetic factors contribute strongly to the variation of behavior disinhibition". For example, research done at the Center for education and Drug Research has found that there, children of drug addicted parents score higher on constructs measuring neurobehavioral disinhibition.
In addition to environmental and individual risk factors, there are certain putative factors that can also contribute to drug addiction. It is important to distinguish between drug use and drug abuse. Many adolescents may experiment with illicit drugs, but never become fully addicted, whether the risk factors for initial drug use and long-term drug use are there, or not. Included in risk factors for future drug addiction are those factors that exist after initial drug use has begun. Four putative risk factors have been identified as contributing to the progression of addiction and are considered risk factors for treatment. They are: type of substance, frequency of drug use, type of comorbid psychopathology, and number of psychiatric disorders. For example, the adolescent who begins smoking marijuana as opposed to the adolescent who begins smoking cocaine will have a much greater propensity to become addicted simply because of the more physically and psychologically addictive properties/qualities of cocaine.
Risk factors for adolescent substance abuse relapse are predictably similar to the risk factors associated with initial adolescent drug use. Studies of adolescent substance abuse relapse have shown that that "social factors, including social pressure to use and exposure to substance-using peers, are the strongest predictors of adolescent relapse". For this reason, alcohol and drug rehabilitation facilities focus on geographical and social interventions, encouraging the client to relocate geographically and to disassociate with former friends and deviant acquaintances. One research study of clients discharged from a residential treatment facility found that those clients who chose to relocate to the immediate area and become involved in educational pursuits, were more likely to remain abstinent one year after. Conversely, those clients who chose to return to their "old" environments were generally given poor prognoses by their counselors and were more likely to relapse after discharge.
In addition to environmental and individual risk factors, there are certain putative factors that can also contribute to drug addiction. It is important to distinguish between drug use and drug abuse. Many adolescents may experiment with illicit drugs, but never become fully addicted, whether the risk factors for initial drug use and long-term drug use are there, or not. Included in risk factors for future drug addiction are those factors that exist after initial drug use has begun. Four putative risk factors have been identified as contributing to the progression of addiction and are considered risk factors for treatment. They are: type of substance, frequency of drug use, type of comorbid psychopathology, and number of psychiatric disorders. For example, the adolescent who begins smoking marijuana as opposed to the adolescent who begins smoking cocaine will have a much greater propensity to become addicted simply because of the more physically and psychologically addictive properties/qualities of cocaine.
Risk factors for adolescent substance abuse relapse are predictably similar to the risk factors associated with initial adolescent drug use. Studies of adolescent substance abuse relapse have shown that that "social factors, including social pressure to use and exposure to substance-using peers, are the strongest predictors of adolescent relapse". For this reason, alcohol and drug rehabilitation facilities focus on geographical and social interventions, encouraging the client to relocate geographically and to disassociate with former friends and deviant acquaintances. One research study of clients discharged from a residential treatment facility found that those clients who chose to relocate to the immediate area and become involved in educational pursuits, were more likely to remain abstinent one year after. Conversely, those clients who chose to return to their "old" environments were generally given poor prognoses by their counselors and were more likely to relapse after discharge.
