NCJ Number
170853
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 27 Issue: 1 Dated: (February 1998) Pages: 29-41
Date Published
1998
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined gender differences in demography, co- occurrence of Diagnostic Statistical Manual (third edition, revised; DSM-III-R) axis I disorders and axis II personality disorders, and self-reported psychological distress in adolescent psychiatric inpatients with alcohol use disorders.
Abstract
A consecutive series of 61 adolescent inpatients (36 boys and 25 girls) with either alcohol abuse or dependence were reliably assessed with structured diagnostic interviews for DSM- III-R axis I and axis II personality disorders. The study found that boys and girls did not differ in age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, global functioning, age at first psychiatric contact, or number of hospitalizations. Girls were more likely to meet criteria for oppositional defiant disorder, eating disorders, and additional drug-use disorders. Girls were also more likely than boys to meet criteria for at least one personality disorder and borderline personality. Contrary to gender patterns in the general population, the proportion of girls and boys with affective disorders and conduct disorders did not differ significantly. The study concludes that relatively few gender differences were found in adolescent inpatient alcohol abusers even where they would be expected based on non-substance- abuse general population gender patterns. When observed, gender differences were in the direction of greater psychiatric disturbance among girls. Some of the gender patterns observed among alcohol-abusing adolescents are at odds with gender differences observed in non-substance-abuse samples. 3 tables and 37 references