Depressive symptoms, conduct problems, and risk for polysubstance use among adolescents: Results from US national surveys

Abstract

Polysubstance use in adolescence is a known precursor to chronic substance misuse. Identifying risk factors for polysubstance use is necessary to inform its prevention. The present study examined the association of elevated levels of multiple mental health symptoms with adolescents' engagement in polysubstance use (past month use of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana). In a US national sample of 8^th, 10^th, and 12^th grade students from Monitoring the Future surveys, we estimated probability of polysubstance use associated with high levels of depressive symptoms, conduct problems, or both. Depressive symptoms and conduct problems, alone and particularly in combination, were associated with drastically elevated probability of polysubstance use. Adolescents with high levels of both depressive symptoms and conduct problems had the highest probability of polysubstance use. Among 8^th and 10^th graders, probability of polysubstance use associated with co-occurring mental health problems was significantly higher for girls than boys.

Keywords: co-existing problems; mental health; substance use.

Figure 1

Gender differences in odds of polysubstance use. 8^th and 10^th grade girls (versus boys) had higher odds of polysubstance use (use of alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes in the past 30 days) associated with elevated levels of conduct problems (CP), depressive symptoms (DS), or both (CP + DS).