Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Gender differences in adolescent substance abuse

  • Published:
Current Psychiatry Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gender differences in the epidemiology, comorbidities, and treatment responses of substance abuse have been described in adults. However, a growing body of data suggests that gender differences also exist in adolescents with substance abuse. Unfortunately, research is still limited in this age group. This article reviews gender differences in the diagnosis, presentation, course of illness, and treatment response of substance abuse in adults and adolescents. Adolescent substance abuse treatments that take into account these gender differences are also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Results From the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. Rockville, MD: Department of Health and Human Services; 2007. [Office of Applied Studies, NSDUH Series H-32, DHHS publication no. SMA 07-4293.]

    Google Scholar 

  2. Dakof GA: Understanding gender differences in adolescent drug abuse: issues of comorbidity and family functioning. J Psychoactive Drugs 2000, 32:25–32.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Fleming CB, Mason WA, Mazza JJ, et al.: Latent growth modeling of the relationship between depressive symptoms and substance use during adolescence. Psychol Addict Behav 2008, 22:186–197.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Eaton DK, Kann L, Kinchen S, et al.: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2005. MMWR Surveill Summ 2006, 55:1–108.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Hicks BM, Blonigen DM, Kramer MD, et al.: Gender differences and developmental change in externalizing disorders from late adolescence to early adulthood: a longitudinal twin study. J Abnorm Psychol 2007, 116:433–447.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Newman DL, Moffitt TE, Caspi A, et al.: Psychiatric disorder in a birth cohort of young adults: prevalence, comorbidity, clinical significance, and new case incidence from ages 11 to 21. J Consult Clin Psychol 1996, 64:552–562.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Brecht ML, O’Brien A, von Mayrhauser C, et al.: Methamphetamine use behaviors and gender differences. Addict Behav 2004, 29:89–106.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Evans JL, Hahn JA, Page-Shafer K, et al.: Gender differences in sexual and injection risk behavior among active young injection drug users in San Francisco (the UFO Study). J Urban Health 2003, 80:137–146.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Frajzyngier V, Neaigus A, Gyarmathy VA, et al.: Gender differences in injection risk behaviors at the first injection episode. Drug Alcohol Depend 2007, 89:145–152.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Wilsnack RW, Vogeltanz ND, Wilsnack SC, et al.: Gender differences in alcohol consumption and adverse drinking consequences: cross-cultural patterns. Addiction 2000, 95:251–265.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Brady KT, Randall CL: Gender differences in substance use disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am 1999, 22:241–252

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Chermack ST, Stoltenberg SF, Fuller BE, Blowai FC: Gender differences in the development of substance-related problems: the impact of family history of alcoholism, family history of violence and childhood conduct problems. J Stud Alcohol 2000, 61:845–852.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Brady KT, Dansky BS, Sonne SC, Saladin ME: Posttraumatic stress disorder and cocaine dependence. Order of onset. Am J Addict 1998, 7:128–135.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Najavits LM, Lester KM: Gender differences in cocaine dependence. Drug Alcohol Depend 2008, 97:190–194.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Cottler LB, Nishith P, Compton WM 3rd: Gender differences in risk factors for trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder among inner-city drug abusers in and out of treatment. Compr Psychiatry 2001, 42:111–117.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Stevens SJ, Murphy BS, McKnight K: Traumatic stress and gender differences in relationship to substance abuse, mental health, physical health, and HIV risk behavior in a sample of adolescents enrolled in drug treatment. Child Maltreat 2003, 8:46–57.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Sinha R, Rounsaville BJ: Sex differences in depressed substance abusers. J Clin Psychiatry 2002, 63:616–627.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Needham BL: Gender differences in trajectories of depressive symptomatology and substance use during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. Soc Sci Med 2007, 65:1166–1179.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Wu LT, Anthony JC: Tobacco smoking and depressed mood in late childhood and early adolescence. Am J Public Health 1999, 89:1837–1840.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Silberg J, Rutter M, D’Onofrio B, Eaves L: Genetic and environmental risk factors in adolescent substance use. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2003, 44:664–676.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Kumpulainen K: Psychiatric symptoms and deviance in early adolescence predict heavy alcohol use 3 years later. Addiction 2000, 95:1847–1857.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kessler RC, McGonagle KA, Zhao S, et al.: Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United States. Results from the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1994, 51:8–19.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Kessler RC, Crum RM, Warner LA, et al.: Lifetime co-occurrence of DSM-III-R alcohol abuse and dependence with other psychiatric disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1997, 54:313–321.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Rounsaville BJ, Kranzler HR, Ball S, et al.: Personality disorders in substance abusers: relation to substance use. J Nerv Ment Dis 1998, 186:87–95.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Cornelius JR, Jarrett PJ, Thase ME, et al.: Gender effects on the clinical presentation of alcoholics at a psychiatric hospital. Compr Psychiatry 1995, 36:435–440.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Rounsaville BJ, Anton SF, Carroll K, et al.: Psychiatric diagnoses of treatment-seeking cocaine abusers. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1991, 48:43–51.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Tetrault JM, Desai RA, Becker WC, et al.: Gender and non-medical use of prescription opioids: results from a national US survey. Addiction 2008, 103:258–268.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Conner KR, Hesselbrock VM, Meldrum SC, et al.: Transitions to, and correlates of, suicidal ideation, plans, and unplanned and planned suicide attempts among 3,729 men and women with alcohol dependence. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2007, 68:654–662.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Preuss UW, Schuckit MA, Smith TL, et al.: Predictors and correlates of suicide attempts over 5 years in 1,237 alcohol-dependent men and women. Am J Psychiatry 2003, 160:56–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Randall CL, Roberts JS, Del Boca FK, et al.: Telescoping of landmark events associated with drinking: a gender comparison. J Stud Alcohol 1999, 60:252–260.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Zilberman M, Tavares H, el-Guebaly N: Gender similarities and differences: the prevalence and course of alcohol- and other substance-related disorders. J Addict Dis 2003, 22:61–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Marsh JC, Cao D, D’Aunno T: Gender differences in the impact of comprehensive services in substance abuse treatment. J Subst Abuse Treat 2004, 27:289–300.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Stevens SJ, Estrada B, Murphy BS, et al.: Gender differences in substance use, mental health, and criminal justice involvement of adolescents at treatment entry and at three, six, twelve and thirty month follow-up. J Psychoactive Drugs 2004, 36:13–25.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Lejuez CW, Bornovalova MA, Reynolds EK, et al.: Risk factors in the relationship between gender and crack/cocaine. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2007, 15:165–175.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Arfken CL, Klein C, di Menza S, Schuster CR: Gender differences in problem severity at assessment and treatment retention. J Subst Abuse Treat 2001, 20:53–57.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Walton MA, Blow FC, Booth BM: Diversity in relapse prevention needs: gender and race comparisons among substance abuse treatment patients. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2001, 27:225–240.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Ellis JA, Perl SB, Davis K, Vichinsky L: Gender differences in smoking and cessation behaviors among young adults after implementation of local comprehensive tobacco control. Am J Public Health 2008, 98:310–316.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Carter RE, Haynes LF, Back SE, et al.: Improving the transition from residential to outpatient addiction treatment: gender differences in response to supportive telephone calls. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2008, 34:47–59.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Dick DM, Pagan JL, Holliday C, et al.: Gender differences in friends’ influences on adolescent drinking: a genetic epidemiological study. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2007, 31:2012–2019.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Hawke JM, Jainchill N, De Leon G: Posttreatment victimization and violence among adolescents following residential drug treatment. Child Maltreat 2003, 8:58–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Waller MW, Hallfors DD, Halpern CT, et al.: Gender differences in associations between depressive symptoms and patterns of substance use and risky sexual behavior among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adolescents. Arch Womens Ment Health 2006, 9:139–150.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Hallfors DD, Waller MW, Ford CA, et al.: Adolescent depression and suicide risk: association with sex and drug behavior. Am J Prev Med 2004, 27:224–231.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Kim JY, Fendrich M: Gender differences in juvenile arrestees’ drug use, self-reported dependence, and perceived need for treatment. Psychiatr Serv 2002, 53:70–75.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Longshore D, Ellickson PL, McCaffrey DF, St Clair PA: School-based drug prevention among at-risk adolescents: effects of ALERT plus. Health Educ Behav 2007, 34:651–668.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Harrell ZA, Karim NM: Is gender relevant only for problem alcohol behaviors? An examination of correlates of alcohol use among college students. Addict Behav 2008, 33:359–365.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Capone C, Wood MD, Borsari B, Laird RD: Fraternity and sorority involvement, social influences, and alcohol use among college students: a prospective examination. Psychol Addict Behav 2007, 21:316–327.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Mitchell KR, Mitchell DM, Kirkby RJ: Note on sex differences in student drug usage. Psychol Rep 1970, 27:116.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Kashdan TB, Vetter CJ, Collins RL: Substance use in young adults: associations with personality and gender. Addict Behav 2005, 30:259–269.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Dunn MS, Goodrow B, Givens C, Austin S: Substance use behavior and suicide indicators among rural middle school students. J Sch Health 2008, 78:26–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Westling E, Andrews JA, Hampson SE, Peterson M: Pubertal timing and substance use: the effects of gender, parental monitoring and deviant peers. J Adolesc Health 2008, 42:555–563.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Children’s National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC, 20010, USA

    Angelica Kloos

Authors
  1. Angelica Kloos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ronald A. Weller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rebecca Chan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Elizabeth B. Weller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Angelica Kloos.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kloos, A., Weller, R.A., Chan, R. et al. Gender differences in adolescent substance abuse. Curr Psychiatry Rep 11, 120–126 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-009-0019-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-009-0019-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation