Abstract
This article presents an overview of a study investigating the co-occurrence of teen mental health and substance use disorders. These co-morbidities have proven problematic and difficult to treat and/or identify in this population. The data for this study was collected as part of The SASSI Institute’s third iteration of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI-A3). A total of 515 teenagers in treatment, whose cases consisted of a valid and complete SASSI-A3, DSM-5 diagnostic evaluation, and client demographics, served as the dataset for the present study. Specifically, we focused on the frequencies of mental health diagnoses alongside a DSM-5 diagnosis of substance use disorder for teens who were seeking treatment for substance misuse issues. All participant cases were provided by clinicians working in service settings throughout the U.S. Census Regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, West). These professionals served in a variety of venues including substance use treatment and criminal justice programs, community corrections, private clinical practices, behavioral health centers, and social service organizations. All clinicians were qualified SASSI users who administered the SASSI-A3 via the SASSI Institute’s SUD web-based screening application. Substance abuse in teens can often be a sign of an attempt to self-medicate an untreated mental health disorder. Identifying possible correlations between SASSI-A3 scale scores and diagnosed mental health disorders, depression and anxiety in particular, can enable clinicians to direct the course of subsequent clinical interviews, and further assessments needed early in the counseling relationship.
Highlights
Adolescents who are referred for drug treatment assessments, those who are mandated due to acting out behaviors, are often screened for substance use disorders (SUDs)
Of the 515 teenagers in our sample, 40% were identified by their counselor as having a co-occurring mental health disorders (MHD) with SUD, and 27% were identified as only having an SUD diagnosis
Among the 40% (n=205) identified as having co-occurring SUD/MHD diagnoses, sixty-two percent were identified as suffering from depression, 49% anxiety, 16% Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), 36% Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and 28% with other MHDs
Summary
Adolescents who are referred for drug treatment assessments, those who are mandated due to acting out behaviors, are often screened for substance use disorders (SUDs). It is sometimes the case that when an adolescent is identified as having an SUD, further assessment for co-occurring mental health disorders is not conducted, unless warranted or ordered (Community court judges, etc.) This occurs because different types of professionals specialize in the treatment of specific disorders and as some studies have shown historically, might not coordinate behavioral service provision. The teen presents symptoms characteristic of a disorder that cause clinically significant distress or social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning, but do not meet the full criteria for a specific disorder within a disorder classification group [6] In these cases, the clinician can choose not to specify the disorder. They might diagnose an unspecified anxiety disorder rather than a specific anxiety disorder such as panic disorder or social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
