title: Item response theory analysis of DSM-IV cannabis abuse and dependence criteria in adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine three aspects of adolescent cannabis problems: do DSM-IV cannabis abuse and dependence criteria represent two different levels of severity of substance involvement, to what degree do each of the 11 abuse and dependence criteria assess adolescent cannabis problems, and do the DSM-IV items function similarly across different adolescent populations?
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 5,587 adolescents ages 11 to 19, including 615 youths in treatment for substance use disorders, 179 adjudicated youths, and 4,793 youths from the community. All of the subjects were assessed with a structured diagnostic interview. Item response theory was used to analyze symptom endorsement patterns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Abuse and dependence criteria were not found to represent different levels of severity of problem cannabis use in any of the samples. Among the 11 abuse and dependence criteria, problems cutting down and legal problems were the least informative for distinguishing problem users. Two dependence criteria and three of the four abuse criteria indicated different severities of cannabis problems across samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found little evidence to support the idea that abuse and dependence are separate constructs for adolescent cannabis problems. Furthermore, certain abuse criteria may indicate severe substance problems, whereas specific dependence items may indicate less severe problems. The abuse items in particular need further study. These results have implications for the refinement of the current substance use disorder criteria for DSM-V.
authors.affiliation: Drs. Hartman, Gelhorn, Crowley, Sakai, and Hopfer are with the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Drs. Stallings, Young, Rhee, Corley, and Hewitt are with the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado.. Electronic address: christie.hartman@colorado.edu.
authors.forename: Christie A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.affiliation: Drs. Hartman, Gelhorn, Crowley, Sakai, and Hopfer are with the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Drs. Stallings, Young, Rhee, Corley, and Hewitt are with the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gelhorn
authors.affiliation: Drs. Hartman, Gelhorn, Crowley, Sakai, and Hopfer are with the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Drs. Stallings, Young, Rhee, Corley, and Hewitt are with the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Crowley
authors.affiliation: Drs. Hartman, Gelhorn, Crowley, Sakai, and Hopfer are with the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Drs. Stallings, Young, Rhee, Corley, and Hewitt are with the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Joseph T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: Drs. Hartman, Gelhorn, Crowley, Sakai, and Hopfer are with the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Drs. Stallings, Young, Rhee, Corley, and Hewitt are with the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stallings
authors.affiliation: Drs. Hartman, Gelhorn, Crowley, Sakai, and Hopfer are with the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Drs. Stallings, Young, Rhee, Corley, and Hewitt are with the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Drs. Hartman, Gelhorn, Crowley, Sakai, and Hopfer are with the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Drs. Stallings, Young, Rhee, Corley, and Hewitt are with the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Soo Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.affiliation: Drs. Hartman, Gelhorn, Crowley, Sakai, and Hopfer are with the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Drs. Stallings, Young, Rhee, Corley, and Hewitt are with the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corley
authors.affiliation: Drs. Hartman, Gelhorn, Crowley, Sakai, and Hopfer are with the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Drs. Stallings, Young, Rhee, Corley, and Hewitt are with the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado.
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Hewitt
authors.affiliation: Drs. Hartman, Gelhorn, Crowley, Sakai, and Hopfer are with the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Drs. Stallings, Young, Rhee, Corley, and Hewitt are with the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado.
authors.forename: Christian J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hopfer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003120:Colorado; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011594:Psychometrics; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data