The Associations of Early-Onset Methamphetamine Use with Psychiatric Morbidity Among Taiwanese Adolescents

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of early-onset methamphetamine (MAMP) use in early adolescence with psychiatric morbidity in adolescents with MAMP use by gender. A total of 299 adolescents with MAMP use in Taiwan were recruited from two juvenile detention centers in Kaohsiung and Taipei from September 1998 to March 2002. Using the Kiddie epidemiological version of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS-E), each adolescent was interviewed by a child psychiatrist to determine what psychiatric conditions, including substance use disorders (SUDs) and other psychiatric comorbidities might be associated with the early-onset (15 years old or below) MAMP use according to gender. In females, early-onset MAMP use was significantly associated with the diagnoses of depressive disorder, conduct disorder and amphetamine use disorder. In males, however, early-onset MAMP use was only significantly associated with amphetamine use disorder. Gender differences exist in the association between early-onset MAMP use and psychiatric morbidity. The association between early-onset MAMP use and psychiatric morbidity may have important implications for public health policy and treatment for adolescents with MAMP use.