Substance-use disorders, personality traits, and sex differences in institutionalized adolescents

Abstract

Background: Substance-use disorder (SUD) was found to be an aggravating factor to delinquency and is closely related to personality disorders (PDs).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate sex differences in the relationship between PD traits and SUD in adolescents institutionalized in child welfare and juvenile justice institutions.

Methods: PD traits were measured dimensionally in a sample of 282 boys (69 with an SUD diagnosis) and 143 girls (45 with an SUD diagnosis) from child welfare and juvenile-justice institutions.

Results: Logistic regressions showed that antisocial, borderline, and paranoid personality traits were positively associated with SUD, while obsessive compulsive personality traits were negatively related with SUD. Additionally, in institutionalized girls, self-defeating personality traits were associated with less risk of SUD.

Conclusion: This study provides a relative evidence for sex specificities in the relation between PD traits and SUD.

Keywords: Personality disorders traits; adolescents; behaviors problems; sex differences; socio-educational institutions; substance-use disorder.