Faculty Collaboration Database

Inhalant use and delinquent behavior among adolescents: a comparison of inhalant users and other drug users. Addiction 1999 Apr;94(4):555-64

Date

12/22/1999

Pubmed ID

10605851

DOI

10.1046/j.1360-0443.1999.94455510.x

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0032948004 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   40 Citations

Abstract

AIMS: To evaluate the association between inhalant use and delinquent or criminal behavior.

DESIGN: A large statewide sample of high school students participated in a survey on drug use. Five groups were identified based on reported drug use: inhalant experimenters, other drug experimenters, inhalant users, other drug users and non-users. Inhalant users were compared with other drug users and inhalant experimenters with other drug experimenters on three measures of problem behavior.

PARTICIPANTS: Over 13,000 students in grades 7-12 participated in the 1993 survey on drug use.

MEASUREMENTS: Three measures of problem behavior: drinking and drug-taking, "trouble behavior" and minor criminal activity.

FINDINGS: Among upper (9-12) grade level students only, both inhalant users and inhalant experimenters reported more minor criminal activity than other drug users and other drug experimenters, respectively. A similar trend was noted for trouble behavior. The same was not found for drinking and drug-taking behavior.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that inhalant use is categorically different from other drug use, and that it has more in common with general delinquency than with general drug use. Prevention and treatment strategies should take this into consideration.

Author List

Mackesy-Amiti ME, Fendrich M

Author

Michael Fendrich PhD Professor in the Emergency Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Administration, Inhalation
Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior
Alcohol Drinking
Child
Female
Humans
Illinois
Juvenile Delinquency
Male
Regression Analysis
Substance-Related Disorders