The Relationship Between Depressive Symptom Levels and Subsequent Increases in Substance Use Among Youth With Severe Emotional Disturbance

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between levels of depressive symptoms and subsequent increases in substance use among 784 youth with severe emotional disturbance enrolled in Medicaid-funded behavioral health care plans. Youth at five sites nationwide were interviewed about their emotional and behavior problems, as well as their use of cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs--at both baseline and follow-up. (1) Levels of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with concurrent substance use at baseline. (2) Baseline levels of depressive symptoms predicted subsequent changes in substance use, especially use of illicit drugs and multiple drugs. (3) These findings remained significant, even after controlling for sociodemographic, family, and individual characteristics. These results indicate that depressive symptoms early in life may signal a risk for increasing involvement in substance use among severe emotional disturbed youth. This finding has important clinical implications for the prevention of substance misuse in this population.