Posted
September, 2001
Prediction
of Substance Use by Dutch Adults from CBCL Scores
Using a randomly selected sample of Dutch
children, Robert Ferdinand, Marije Blum, and Frank Verhulst
(2001) tested the ability of CBCL scores to predict self-reports
of high levels of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use obtained
on the Young Adult Self-Report (YASR) at ages 18 to 22. High
levels of substance use were defined as amounts that exceeded
the 90th percentile for all the adult subjects
(>14 drinks per week; >19 cigarettes per day; any drug
use in 6 months). After controlling for scores on all
other syndromes, age, and gender, the following CBCL syndrome
scores predicted substance use above the 90th percentile:
Alcohol use was predicted by Thought Problems at ages 12-16;
tobacco use was predicted by Thought Problems at ages 10-14
and by Delinquent Behavior at ages 14-18; and drug use was
predicted by Delinquent Behavior at ages 10-14. The authors
concluded that “Prevention programs to reduce adolescent and
young adult substance use often rely on strategies aimed at
refusal skill efficacy . . . and behavioral problems. Our
findings, however, indicate that it may also be important
to aim at those (pre-)adolescents who display odd behaviors,
poor reality testing, and obsessive/compulsive behaviors .
. . they might need a—a probably more individual—approach
aimed at improvement of reality testing, and reduction of
obsessive/compulsive and odd behaviors” (p. 867).
Reference:
Ferdinand, R. F., Blum, M., & Verhulst, F. C. (2001). Psychopathology
in adolescence predicts substance use in young adulthood. Addiction,
96, 861-870.
