Interpersonal victimization, posttraumatic stress disorder, and change in adolescent substance use prevalence over a ten-year period

J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2011;40(1):136-43. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2011.533411.

Abstract

Epidemiological studies have identified recent declines in specific types of adolescent substance use. The current study examined whether these declines varied among youth with and without a history of interpersonal victimization or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Data for this study come from two distinct samples of youth (12-17 years of age) participating in the 1995 National Survey of Adolescents (N = 3,906) and the 2005 National Survey of Adolescents-Replication (N = 3,423). Results revealed significant declines in adolescents' use of cigarettes and alcohol between 1995 and 2005; use of marijuana and hard drugs remained stable. Of importance, declines in nonexperimental cigarette use were significantly greater among youth without versus with a history of victimization and declines in alcohol use were significantly greater among youth without versus with a history of PTSD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology
  • Alcohol Drinking / psychology
  • Bullying / psychology*
  • Crime Victims / psychology
  • Crime Victims / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Smoking / psychology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / epidemiology*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology