Adolescent Self-Reported Alcohol/Other Drug Use Consequences: Moderators of Self- and Parent Agreement

• NCJ Number: 230677
• Journal: Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly Volume: 28 Issue: 2 Dated: April-June 2010 Pages: 101-110
• Author(s): Robert J. Thoma, Ph.D.; Dina E. Hill, Ph.D.; J. Scott Tonigan, Ph.D.; Ana V. Kuny, B.S.; Leah N. Vermont, B.S.; Jeffrey D. Lewine, Ph.D.
• Date Published: April 2010
• Length: 10 pages
• Grant Number(s): T34 MH19101; 1K23 AA016544-01
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services; National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the convergence between adolescent and parent report of substance abuse and the validity of the Inventory of Drug Use Consequences (InDUC).

Abstract

Although the reliability of assessment instruments designed for use with adults is well established, much less is known about the adequacy of these instruments for adolescent substance abusers. As part of a comprehensive intake evaluation, the InDUC was administered to 40 adolescents assigned to a probationary substance abuse treatment program and to one of their parents. The correlation was statistically significant between parent and adolescent InDUC scores, but the interrater reliability was relatively low. IQ scores and level of substance use were considered as moderator variables, but neither showed a significant effect. History of head injury, however, significantly moderated this relationship; those adolescents reporting no history of head injury showed little correspondence with parent InDUC scores, whereas those adolescents with a history of head injury showed significant correlations with parent InDUC scores. This suggests that a history of head injury may affect the way in which adolescents perceive substance-related consequences. Tables and references (Published Abstract)