Prediction Factors in Adolescent Addiction
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Authors
McDonagh, Brian
Issue Date
1989
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
In recent years, addiction to cocaine and inhalants has emerged as a serious problem among adolescents in Contra Costa County, California. Addiction diagnoses are usually based on the frequency and quantity of drug use. Drug-related behaviors are addressed only when a diagnosis has been determined. My hypothesis is that adolescent behavioral patterns can predict a substance abuse problem before the onset of addiction. A questionnaire relating to potentially addictive •behaviors was given to a group of high school students with no prior diagnosis of addiction. The findings show that eight of the participants scored low on the test, indicating an unlikely involvement with drugs. Two of the participants scored high on the test, indicating a probable psychological and emotional involvement with drugs. The findings of this study do not indicate that a prediction of substance abuse is possible at this time. Since this is a pilot project, a follow-up study is needed to test the consistency of these findings. This study concludes that single-dimensional assessment techniques, which rely on frequency and quantity of drug use, do not address addictive behavioral patterns. It recommends that multi-scale assessment tools that address psychological and 0 emotional behaviors could be more beneficial in assessing adolescent drug involvement. From a statistical point of view, the hypothesis has not been proven in this study.