Prospective study of the association between neurobehavior disinhibition and peer environment on illegal drug use in boys and girls.

BACKGROUND: Individual and contextual factors jointly participate in the onset and progression of substance abuse; however, the pattern of their relationship in males and females has not been systematically studied. OBJECTIVES: Male and female children and adolescents were compared to determine the relative influence of individual susceptibility (neurobehavior disinhibition or ND) and social environment (deviancy in peers) on use of illegal drugs. METHODS: Boys (N = 380) and girls (N = 127) were prospectively tracked from age 10-12 to age 16 to delineate the role of ND and peer deviancy on use of illegal drugs. RESULTS: Girls exhibited lower ND scores than boys in childhood and were less inclined to affiliate with deviant peers. These differences were reduced or disappeared by mid-adolescence. In boys only, peer deviancy in childhood mediated the association between ND and illegal drug use at age 16. In both genders, peer deviancy in mid-adolescence mediated ND and substance abuse at age 16. CONCLUSIONS: Individual and contextual risk factors promoting substance abuse are more salient at a younger age in boys compared to girls. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: These results point to the need for earlier screening and intervention for boys.

[The factor analytic symptom structure of manic episode and its relationship with affective temperaments]. / Manik dönemin faktör analizine dayanan alt-tipleri ve mizaçla iliskisi.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to establish the factor analytic dimensions of manic episode, and to investigate relationship between established factors and underlying affective temperament. METHODS: Hundred patients who had been hospitalized in psychiatric clinics of Bakirköy Prof. Mazhar Osman Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry and Neurology for DSM-IV bipolar disorder manic episode were assessed by Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (positive syndrome sub-scale) (PANSS) and followed by factor analysis. The relationship between factor scores and underlying affective temperaments has been investigated in 72 full remitted patients who had been re-assessed by Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) Turkish version. RESULTS: 7 factors model which accounted 67.48% of the total variance has been emerged by principal component factor analysis. Determined factors were dysphoria, psychomotor acceleration, psychosis, irritability, insight, grandiosity and sexual interest. It has been found linear correlation between hyperthymic temperament and psychomotor acceleration (r=0.255, p<0.05) and, inverse correlation between depressive temperament and sexual interest (r=-0.248, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study has shown that clinical phenomenology of mania has been formed by independent dimensions of dysphoria, irritability and psychosis, also with relationship between hyperthymic temperament and psychomotor acceleration which is accepted core characteristic of mania.

Substance abuse amplifies the risk for violence in schizophrenia spectrum disorder.

The factors responsible for the association between schizophrenia and violence with or without co-occurring substance abuse have not been fully elucidated. The present study had two aims: (1) ascertain whether substance abuse augments the risk for violence in patients with schizophrenia; and, (2) determine whether violence is differentially related to positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. A sample of 133 adults were participated in this study. Patients with bizarre behavior and avolition-apathy symptoms were more likely to manifest violent behavior. In addition, patients with a history of criminal offenses and substance use disorder were more likely to exhibit violent behavior. Based on the results of this study, it is feasible to identify individual with schizophrenic spectrum disorder who are at high risk for violence.

Substance abuse and associated psychosocial risk factors among Turkish male adolescents.

This study reports the validation of the Drug Use Screening Inventory (DUSI) in a sample of Turkish youth. Clinical cases (N=90) were recruited from the inpatient and outpatient addictions treatment facility at Bakirkoy State Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases in Istanbul, Turkey. Nonclinical cases (N=68) were recruited from the community by direct invitation from the researchers and advertisement. Reliability, discriminative, and construct validity of the Turkish version of the DUSI were documented. A cut-off score of 35% severity on the overall problem density score correctly classified 83% of subjects with sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 87%. Furthermore, the DUSI overall problem density score predicted prior 30 days level of substance use involvement. Finally, a history of family substance use disorder predicted the overall problem density score in their children. These findings indicate that the Turkish version of the DUSI is an efficient method for multidimensional screening of youth who need treatment for substance abuse.

Prevalence of alcohol use in Istanbul.

The current research assessed the prevalence of alcohol use in Istanbul, Turkey along with characteristics and severity of related problems. The data were collected from structured interviews including the CAGE Questionnaire to eliminate the severity of alcohol-related problems of 1,550 residents (743 women, 807 men) of Istanbul, ages 12 to 65 years. Current alcohol use was 25.6% (397 persons, 118 women and 279 men), including 15.9% of the women and 34.5% of the men. 67% reported never having used alcohol. The rate of alcohol use was highest in the 40- to 49-yr. age group: the onset of use was reported as most common for the 16- to 19-yr.-olds. Prevalence of risky drinking was 6.8% (106 persons). Men were more likely to have an earlier initiation to alcohol use, to consume more [5.2 standard drinks (SD=3.4) vs 3.6 standard drinks (SD=2.5)] and be problem drinkers (31.5% vs 15.2%) than women. Prevalence of alcohol use seems to be relatively low in Istanbul. Data on characteristics of alcohol use are important in estimating groups at risk for problems and in planning prevention strategies.