Am J Psychiatry 1989; 146:1131-1141
Copyright © 1989 by American Psychiatric Association
Comorbidity of substance abuse and other psychiatric disorders in adolescents
OG Bukstein, DA Brent and Y Kaminer
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA.
Psychopathology coexisting with substance abuse in adolescents is often
encountered in a variety of clinical settings. Research findings suggest a
major role for substance use in the etiology and prognosis of psychiatric
disorders such as affective disorders, conduct disorder and antisocial
personality disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety
disorders. Psychiatric disorders also appear to have an important role in
the etiology of and vulnerability to substance use problems in adolescents.
Although the comorbidity of substance abuse and other psychiatric disorders
in adolescents is recognized as an important factor in the treatment of
adolescents, further research is needed to establish its prevalence,
genetics, and clinical implications.
