Association of substance abuse and depression among adolescent psychiatric inpatients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether depression levels differ among suicide-attempting and non-suicide-attempting adolescent inpatients in relation to their alcohol use.


METHODS
Ninety-eight adolescents hospitalized at a midwestern psychiatric hospital completed the Children's Depression Inventory and the Rutgers Alcohol Problem-Drinking Index (RAPI). Based on RAPI scores, adolescents were classified as heavy drinkers (n = 36) or light drinkers and nondrinkers (n = 62).


RESULTS
Heavy drinkers had significantly more depression than those who were classified as light drinkers or nondrinkers regardless of suicide-attempting status.


CONCLUSIONS
The results demonstrate a positive association between depression levels and problems with alcohol in adolescents, indicating that youth who both suffer from depression and abuse alcohol may be at higher risk for a suicide attempt.
Danielson
Carla Kmett
CK
Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. danielso@musc.edu
Overholser
James C
JC
Butt
Zeeshan A
ZA
D000293:Adolescent; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires