title: Multivariate Comparison of Male and Female Adolescent Substance Abusers with Accompanying Legal Problems.
abstract: PURPOSE: The factors that distinguish adolescent male and female substance abusers with and without legal problems were investigated. METHOD: Youths (N = 4,071) admitted for substance abuse treatment were administered the revised Drug Use Screening Inventory (DUSI-R) to measure severity of health, behavior, and social adjustment problems. RESULTS: Legal problems were more frequent among boys; however, severity of disturbance was greater in girls on 9 of 10 scales. Substance abusing girls and boys with legal problems reported more severe behavior, substance abuse, family adjustment, and peer relationship problems than substance abusing peers without legal problems. Quality of peer relationship mediated the association of family dysfunction, substance abuse and behavior problems with legal problems in boys only. CONCLUSIONS: Gender and legal status both need to be taken into account to potentiate treatment prognosis of substance abusing youths.
authors.affiliation: Center for Education and Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, 711 Salk Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors.forename: Ralph E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Tarter
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kirisci
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mezzich
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Patton