Citation

Davis JP, Dumas TM, Wagner EF, Merrin GJ. J. Subst. Abuse Treat. 2016; 71: 8-15.

Affiliation

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jsat.2016.08.004

PMID

27776683

Abstract

PURPOSE: To examine the social-ecological determinants of substance use treatment entry among serious juvenile offenders over a 7 year period. Using the social-ecological framework, relevant predictors of substance use from the literature were used to assess risk (and protective) factors at the individual, parental, peer and neighborhood level.

METHOD: Serious juvenile offenders (N=1354, Mage baseline=16.0 years, SD=1.14) were prospectively followed over 7 years (Mage Conclusion=23.0 years, SD=1.15). Cox regression with time invariant and time varying predictors was used to predict time to first substance use treatment entry.

RESULTS: Results for each dimension, separately, varied slightly from the full model. In the full model peer delinquency, peer arrests, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), impulse control, temperament, and emotional regulation remained salient risk (and protective) factors for treatment entry.

CONCLUSION: Associating with more deviant peers and having more of your peers arrested over the 7 year study period was associated with substantial increase in time to treatment entry. Furthermore, one of the strongest risk factors for treatment entry was a PTSD diagnosis. Treatment implications are discussed regarding peer affiliation and PTSD symptomology as well as potential neurological and biological contributors to increased risk for treatment entry.

Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en