Teen Substance Use Linked to Psychiatric Symptoms

TUESDAY, Jan. 30, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Adolescent substance use is associated with psychiatric symptoms, including suicidal thoughts, according to a research letter published online Jan. 29 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Brenden Tervo-Clemmens, Ph.D., from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and colleagues examined associations between commonly used substances and psychiatric symptoms among adolescents in two samples: students from 36 Massachusetts high schools who completed the 2022 to 2023 Substance Use and Risk Factor (SURF) Survey and analogous self-reported items from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Data were included for 15,626 SURF participants and 17,232 YRBS participants.

The researchers found significant, moderate dose-dependent associations for alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine use with worse psychiatric symptoms, including suicidal thoughts in SURF and YRBS, depressive or anxiety symptoms and inattention or hyperactivity in SURF, and general mental health in YRBS. Ever versus never use of each substance was associated with higher psychiatric symptoms for all symptom measures in SURF and YRBS in pair-wise comparisons. Consistent associations with moderate increases in symptoms were seen for daily or near-daily use versus ever use, while weekly or monthly use was not associated with symptoms.

"This pattern of multiple substances associated with multiple psychiatric comorbidities emphasizes transdiagnostic and comprehensive psychiatric screening, intervention and prevention, and policy for adolescents with substance use involvement," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and information technology industries.

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