Adolescent heroin and methamphetamine users reassessed after 14 years: analysis of psychosocial characteristics
Abstract
Objectives. The major goal of the study was to assess the impact of intensive drug use in adolescence in the life situation of the respondents at the period ofyoung adulthood.
Sample and setting. The analyses are based on data collected during the first examination (1996 to 1998) and during the reassessment in 2010-2011.
Information was obtained through structured interviews and questionnaires focused on addictive behaviour, personality characteristics, self-esteem, mental health and life satisfaction. The sample consisted of 124 persons examined at the time of adolescence.
The follow-up was carried out after 14 years with 52 persons (42% of original sample). Statistical analyses.
T-test or nonparametric Mann-Whitney's U test was applied to test differences in group means, x2 test was used to explore differences in frequencies, and to test associations between variables the Pearson's correlation coefficient was chosen. Results.
Three quarters of the sample interviewed at the time of young adulthood were without drug problems. Subjects in the problem group compared to non-problem group more often used heroin in adolescence, more often used heroin on daily basis, and had more detoxifications and more drug treatments.
Problem group had lower life satisfaction, but in other psychological characteristics did not differ from the non-problem group. Conclusions and limitations oj the study.
Intensive use of hard drugs in adolescence persisted into young adulthood in a quarter of the sample. Three quarters of the followed individuals are socially adapted and stabilized without drug use.
Adolescent drug use has a detrimental effect on educational attainment and worse career prospects. Two limitations of the study should be mentioned: the first is the low response rate at the follow-up; the second concems the study site, which was limited to Prague, so the conclusions may be relevant to metropolitan population only.