Does Pervasive Developmental Disorder Protect Children and Adolescents Against Drug and Alcohol Use?

Overview

Journal Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry

Specialties Pediatrics
Psychiatry

Date 2006 Apr 11

PMID 16604379

Citations 24

Authors

Paramala J Santosh

Angela Mijovic

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this paper is (1) to compare the rates of reported drug and/or alcohol use (DAU) in treatment seeking adolescents with Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), and those with other psychiatric diagnoses (psychiatric controls) seen in tertiary child and adolescent mental health services and (2) to explore the relationship of psychopathology, environmental stressors, and social communication difficulties to DAU.

Method: Data from the chart review of children and adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years with psychiatric diagnosis seen in tertiary child and adolescent mental health services between 1992 and 2001 (n=1484) was used to investigate the relationship between DAU, psychopathology, environmental stressors and items related to social communication.

Results: A total of 97 subjects (7%) met criteria for PDD. Subjects with PDD report significantly lower DAU than psychiatric controls, 3% vs. 17% respectively (P<0.000). Factors reflecting PDD such as speech and language difficulties, developmental difficulties, discordant peer relationships in adolescents are negatively associated with DAU, while conduct problems, affective symptoms, inadequate parental supervision or control have positive association with DAU. DAU was present in PDD only when comorbid with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Conclusion: Adolescents with speech and language difficulties, developmental difficulties and discordant peer relationships, all reflecting PDD, are less likely to have DAU.

Citing Articles

Alcohol use among populations with autism spectrum disorder: narrative systematic review.

Barber W, Aslan B, Meynen T, Marsden J, Chamberlain S, Paleri V BJPsych Open. 2025; 11(1):e15.

PMID: 39801022 PMC: 11736162. DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2024.824.

Alcohol Use Patterns Among Underage Autistic and Non-Autistic Youth.

Graham Holmes L, Xuan Z, Quinn E, Caplan R, Sanchez A, Wharmby P J Autism Dev Disord. 2023; 54(10):3808-3822.

PMID: 37751088 PMC: 11253551. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06086-4.

A Manualized Behavioral Therapy Intervention for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Substance Use Disorder.

McKowen J, Berger A, Towbin J, Yule A, Woodward D, Nowinski L Case Rep Psychiatry. 2023; 2023:8998160.

PMID: 37038552 PMC: 10082677. DOI: 10.1155/2023/8998160.

The Critical Lack of Data on Alcohol and Marijuana Use by Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum.

Adhia A, Bair-Merritt M, Broder-Fingert S, Nunez Pepen R, Suarez-Rocha A, Rothman E Autism Adulthood. 2023; 2(4):282-288.

PMID: 36600961 PMC: 8992854. DOI: 10.1089/aut.2019.0051.

Influence of ADHD, especially attention-deficit characteristics, on the course of alcohol-dependent individuals.

Yoshimura A, Matsushita S, Kimura M, Yoneda J, Maesato H, Yokoyama A BMC Psychiatry. 2022; 22(1):803.

PMID: 36536366 PMC: 9762023. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04455-4.

References

Rasmussen S, Eisen J . Clinical and epidemiologic findings of significance to neuropharmacologic trials in OCD. Psychopharmacol Bull. 1988; 24(3):466-70. View

Cloninger C . Neurogenetic adaptive mechanisms in alcoholism. Science. 1987; 236(4800):410-6. DOI: 10.1126/science.2882604. View

Karno M, Golding J, Sorenson S, Burnam M . The epidemiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder in five US communities. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1988; 45(12):1094-9. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.1988.01800360042006. View

Bukstein O, Brent D, Kaminer Y . Comorbidity of substance abuse and other psychiatric disorders in adolescents. Am J Psychiatry. 1989; 146(9):1131-41. DOI: 10.1176/ajp.146.9.1131. View

Lord C, Risi S, Lambrecht L, Cook Jr E, Leventhal B, DiLavore P . The autism diagnostic observation schedule-generic: a standard measure of social and communication deficits associated with the spectrum of autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 2000; 30(3):205-23. View

Crowley T, Riggs P . Adolescent substance use disorder with conduct disorder and comorbid conditions. NIDA Res Monogr. 1995; 156:49-111. View

Masse L, Tremblay R . Behavior of boys in kindergarten and the onset of substance use during adolescence. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997; 54(1):62-8. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.1997.01830130068014. View

Reebye P, Moretti M, Lessard J . Conduct disorder and substance use disorder: comorbidity in a clinical sample of preadolescents and adolescents. Can J Psychiatry. 1995; 40(6):313-9. DOI: 10.1177/070674379504000606. View

Kandel D . On processes of peer influences in adolescent drug use: a developmental perspective. Adv Alcohol Subst Abuse. 1985; 4(3-4):139-63. DOI: 10.1300/J251v04n03_07. View

10.

Swadi H . Individual risk factors for adolescent substance use. Drug Alcohol Depend. 1999; 55(3):209-24. DOI: 10.1016/s0376-8716(99)00017-4. View

11.

Fergusson D, Horwood L, Lynskey M . The prevalence and risk factors associated with abusive or hazardous alcohol consumption in 16-year-olds. Addiction. 1995; 90(7):935-46. DOI: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.1995.9079356.x. View

12.

Kandel D, Kessler R, Margulies R . Antecedents of adolescent initiation into stages of drug use: A developmental analysis. J Youth Adolesc. 2014; 7(1):13-40. DOI: 10.1007/BF01538684. View

13.

Santosh P, Mijovic A . Social impairment in Hyperkinetic Disorder - relationship to psychopathology and environmental stressors. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2004; 13(3):141-50. DOI: 10.1007/s00787-004-0372-4. View

14.

TARTER R, Vanyukov M, Giancola P, Dawes M, Blackson T, Mezzich A . Etiology of early age onset substance use disorder: a maturational perspective. Dev Psychopathol. 2000; 11(4):657-83. DOI: 10.1017/s0954579499002266. View

15.

Kashani J, Keller M, Solomon N, Reid J, Mazzola D . Double depression in adolescent substance users. J Affect Disord. 1985; 8(2):153-7. DOI: 10.1016/0165-0327(85)90038-2. View

16.

Goodman R, Simonoff E . Reliability of clinical ratings by trainee child psychiatrists: a research note. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1991; 32(3):551-5. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1991.tb00331.x. View

17.

Soderstrom H, Rastam M, Gillberg C . Temperament and character in adults with Asperger syndrome. Autism. 2002; 6(3):287-97. DOI: 10.1177/1362361302006003006. View

18.

Rasmussen P, Gillberg C . Natural outcome of ADHD with developmental coordination disorder at age 22 years: a controlled, longitudinal, community-based study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2000; 39(11):1424-31. DOI: 10.1097/00004583-200011000-00017. View

19.

Biederman J, Wilens T, Mick E, Faraone S, Weber W, Curtis S . Is ADHD a risk factor for psychoactive substance use disorders? Findings from a four-year prospective follow-up study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1997; 36(1):21-9. DOI: 10.1097/00004583-199701000-00013. View

20.

Thorley G . The Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals clinical data register for children and adolescents. J Adolesc. 1982; 5(2):179-89. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-1971(82)80046-8. View