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Substance use and depression. Comparative course in adolescents

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Abstract

Objective

To examine the relation between depression and substance use in adolescents and the concomitant courses of both disorders.

Methods

Four individual interviews were administered to 85 adolescent substance users aged 14–19 years (mean 17.1 years, SD 1.4) over a 3.5 year period using the Adolescent Drug Abuse Interview (ADAD) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-13).

Results

No predictive effect was observed on one dimension over the other, but each dimension was predictive of its own course. A decrease in substance-use severity paralleled a decrease in depressive state. Similarly, stable substance-use rates, either at a low or a high level, tended to be associated with low or high levels of depression, respectively. However, an increase in substance use was not accompanied by an increase in depressive states. Moreover, depression varied greatly between adolescents, and according to gender and age.

Conclusions

Depressive states and substance use in adolescents can vary considerably overtime, and are closely but rather synchronically related. Since most of the adolescents do not seek help for substance-related problems, substance use should be systematically assessed in adolescents presenting with a depressive state.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a research grant from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, ref. 316.98.8108.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SUPEA Research Unit, University Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic, University of Lausanne, Bugnon 25 A, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Léonie Chinet MA, Bernard Plancherel, Monique Bolognini, Mathieu Bernard, Jacques Laget, Giusi Daniele & Olivier Halfon

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  1. Léonie Chinet MA
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  2. Bernard Plancherel
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  3. Monique Bolognini
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  4. Mathieu Bernard
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  5. Jacques Laget
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  6. Giusi Daniele
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  7. Olivier Halfon
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Correspondence to Léonie Chinet MA.

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Chinet, L., Plancherel, B., Bolognini, M. et al. Substance use and depression. Comparative course in adolescents. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 15, 149–155 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-005-0516-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-005-0516-1

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