Multivariate comparison of male and female adolescent substance abusers with accompanying legal problems

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.