NOOR SYUHADA BINTI HASSIM

LQA170005

Introduction

Substance usage among the teenagers is essential to be looked into as a means to

understand their delinquent. The article by McClelland et al., (2004) entitled “Multiple
Substance Use Disorders in Juvenile Detainees” presents the research which shows
the commonness of multiple substance use disorders (SUDs) among the juvenile
detainees into classified group. The research was conducted due to the concerns on
the serious public health among teenagers. The research comprehends on the
overlapping SUDs and divulges the pattern of SUDs among juvenile detainees
according to their sex, race/ethnicity and age. The purpose of this research is to
suggest on the implications for Mental Health Policy and Clinical Treatments.

The researchers are using quantitative method approach, by conducting the

interview on 1,774 of the juvenile detainees from Cook County Juvenile Temporary
Detention Centre in six months period. The researchers presented their findings in
the forms of tables and charts. This article stresses on the finding of the SUDs
juvenile detainees in three different groups-sex of juvenile detainees whether they
are male or female; the race/ethnicity which were subgroups to African American,
Non-Hispanic White and Hispanics; and the age range were subgroup to 10-13
years, 14-15 years and 16+ years.

This paper will provide the summary of the article, analyses the findings of the
articles as well as commentaries on relevant issues.

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Article Summary

The researchers indicate that their study on juvenile detainees is important because
of three reasons; “First, multiple SUDs appear to be common among juvenile
detainees…” “Second, detained youths are captive and potentially amenable to
intervention. Finally, because most detained youths are eventually released, sound
date on juvenile detainees will help improve interventions for high-risk youths in the
community…”1

The researchers found that based on the 6 months’ study, the quarter of juvenile
detainees had multiple SUDs. A total of 851 of juvenile detainees had a combination
of any SUD (p.1217) and the most common combinations were alcohol and
marijuana use disorder (p.1219). The researchers’ finding were 21.35% of male
detainees and 22.19% of female detainees had two or more SUDs. The finding
derived from the race/ethnicity group shows that more non-Hispanic whites and
Hispanics use other illicit drug use disorders including either alcohol or marijuana
compared to African American for both male and female. Whereas, from the age
group, among the male detainees, the youngest detainees (aged 10-13) had shown
the lower results of all combinations of SUDs except for alcohol use disorder only.
Notwithstanding with the male participants, the researcher found no major
differences among the age groups of the female detainees (p.1217).

The study confirmed that the abuse of illicit drugs in combination with marijuana
and/or alcohol caused a progression of serious and problematic use2 and it may
places the youths at great risk of continued dysfunction and delinquency3. The
researchers noted that comparing this research with community sample shows that
multiple SUDs among detainees seem to be substantively higher (p. 1220).

1
McClelland GM, Teplin LA, Abram KA (2004), Multiple Substance Use Disorders in Juvenile
Detainees. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 43:10.
2
Kandel DB (1975), Stages of adolescent involvement in drug use. Science 190:912-914
3
Elliot DS, Huzinga D, Menard S (1989), Multiple Problem Youth : Delinquency, Substance Use, and
Mental Health Problems. New York Springer-Verlag

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 NOOR SYUHADA BINTI HASSIM
LQA170005

Critical Analysis

The central idea of this research is to convince the reader that the teenagers are
tends to have common multiple SUDs4. The objective of the research is to estimate
the multiple SUDs among the juvenile detainees by grouping the sample of their
research into three different classes - sex, race/ethnicity and age of the juvenile
detainees.

The researchers in collecting data on the multiple SUDs among the juvenile
detainees have made comparison on the previous studies. The researchers tried to
filling the gap of the previous studies by determining the limitation of the methods
used that includes the small samples, nonrepresentative sample and nonstandard
measures of substance disorder. In filling the research gap, the researchers used the
large sample as their subject to conduct a survey on the demographic subgroup. The
research has been conducted according to the researchers is widely used and
reliable measures of SUDs using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children
(DISC).

The results of the study were clearly formed into the diagrams and tables using the
quantitative method. The interviews were used as the approach of this research.
Taking the 1,774 samples of studies the researchers completed the interviews which
were conducted by the trained interviewers. This shows the attempts of the
researchers to convince the reader that the interviews were conducted in a proper
manner and the collection of data tends to be more precise.

4
American Academy Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (1997), Practice parameters for the
assessment and treatment of children and adolescent with substance use disorders. J Am Acad Child
Adoles Psychiatry 10(suppl):140S-156S

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To narrow down the sample, the researchers had combined the DISC substance
categories as alcohol, marijuana and other drugs. From these three categories, the
sampling is focusing on three possible diagnoses namely abuse, dependence and
no disorder which is resulting in SUD diagnoses to 27 possible combinations. Due to
lack of participants who had a diagnosis of abuse, the researcher later combined
abuse and dependence after considering the combination would not conceal the
differences. The classifications made by the researchers were neat and organized
which may strengthen the findings.

The researchers affirmed that their research using DISC 2.3 version does not
determine the usage of substance may cause delinquency or it was originally from
the character of the detainees themselves. Besides, the study conducted in urban
detention centers which shared the same demographic composition. The results
might be different to the rural area be it in the some other states or in different
country. This study cannot be generalised to other areas since different factors might
involve and influence the different population of teenagers. The classification of
SUDs might be varied due to the sources of the substance in different areas which
highlighted the weakness of this study.

Acknowledging the researchers’ suggestions on the effect for mental health policy
and clinical treatments, this article could persuade the related bodies to agree with
the researchers. Despites the affirmative and substantive study conducted by the
researchers, this article is more focus on social studies as there is no legal element
discuss. Therefore, the study should be expanding on the position of law in the
relevant jurisdiction.

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Conclusion

The researchers have presented the substantial research that multiple SUDs were
common among the teenagers. The article does contain the substantive information
as the findings suggest the commonness of SUDs by the juvenile detainees into a
separation of the race / ethnicity, according to the age of juvenile detainees. It
suggests that the researchers’ aim were accomplished.

References

McClelland GM, Teplin LA, Abram KA (2004), Multiple Substance Use Disorders in
Juvenile Detainees. J. Am. Acad. Child Adoles. Psychiatry, 43:10.

Kandel DB (1975), Stages of adolescent involvement in drug use. Science 190:912-

914

Elliot DS, Huzinga D, Menard S (1989), Multiple Problem Youth: Delinquency,

Substance Use, and Mental Health Problems. New York Springer-Verlag

American Academy Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (1997), Practice parameters for
the assessment and treatment of children and adolescent with substance
use disorders. J Am Acad Child Adoles Psychiatry 10(suppl):140S-156S