Substance Use Among Young Offenders: Thrills, Bad Feelings, or Bad Behavior?

Abstract

The relationships of conduct problems, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) signs, and depression to substance use were examined between 1994 and 1999 among 900 incarcerated young offenders in South Australia, 206 of whom were reassessed when later readmitted to secure care. At the first and second assessments, conduct problems, ADHD signs, and depression scores all had significant concurrent associations with a measure of recent substance use. Prospectively, there were no significant associations between depression and substance use. At the zero-order level, both ADHD signs and conduct problems predicted future substance use. ADHD signs remained significantly predictive after controlling for concurrent associations. The results lend support to the view that substance use is related to general deviance and that the arousal needs associated with increased ADHD signs increase the risk of substance use. There was no support for the view that substance use in this population is self-medication in response to internalizing problems.