NCJ Number
162138
Journal
American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (1991) Pages: 173-186
Date Published
1991
Length
14 pages
Annotation
A total of 130 solvent abusers were retrospectively identified from a St. Louis family study containing 186 alcoholics, 157 felons, 60 control subjects, and 1,640 relatives, and comprehensive data regarding psychiatric diagnosis and drug use were gathered using the Home Environment Lifetime Psychiatric Record.
Abstract
Solvent abuse was very strongly associated with having a diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder and was consistently associated with polysubstance abuse. Solvent abusers were more likely to be male, of lower socioeconomic status, and younger than those without a reported history of solvent abuse. Contrary to current understanding, solvent abuse did not clearly precede other substance use. Rather, alcohol and cannabis use tended to occur first, followed by the use of solvents. Solvent users were 5 to 10 times more likely than nonusers to report the abuse of opiates, stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens. Over 90 percent of solvent users reported lifetime experience with three or more other drug types. The authors recommend prevention efforts be focused on personality and environmental variables that can lead to the early identification of individuals at high risk of severe substance abuse. 31 references and 6 tables