Prevalence and characteristics of depression and substance use in a U.S. child welfare sample

Abstract

Purpose Estimate separate and combined prevalence of depression and frequent substance use (FSU), evaluate gender differences, and compare the severity of depression and substance use across groups in a sample of youth in the U.S. child welfare system. Methods Data on youth aged 11 to 15 years from the National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-Being were used ( N = 1179). Depression was assessed using the Children's Depression Inventory. Substances assessed included tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, inhalants, hard drugs, and use of prescription medication for non-medical purposes. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to estimate and compare prevalence rates. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the age-adjusted effect of gender on depression/FSU. Results Depression was more than twice as common in girls as boys (17% versus 7%, p < 0.05), but there were no gender differences in the prevalence of past month substance use. Differences in depression and substance use severity were found between groups. Depressed boys with FSU had more severe depression compared to boys with depression only. Conclusions Although the prevalence of depression was significantly higher among girls than boys, there were no gender differences in FSU prevalence. Boys with comorbid depression and FSU had more severe depressive symptoms as those with depression only.