Cited by 383Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentAdolescent Health and Behaviors

Research Review: What have we learned about adolescent substance use?

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Gray, Kevin M., Squeglia, Lindsay M.·2018·Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

Abstract

Background: Adolescence is a critical biological, psychological, and social developmental stage involving heightened risk for substance use and associated adverse consequences. This review, synthesizing emerging findings on this complex topic, is intended to inform research and clinical care focused on adolescents. Methods: Literature searches were conducted using PubMed, yielding a cross‐section of observational and interventional studies focused on adolescent substance use. Findings were organized and categorized to cover key areas of epidemiology, neurobiology, prevention, and treatment. Findings: Adolescent substance‐related attitudes and use patterns have evolved over time, informed by adult and peer behaviors, public policy, media messaging, substance availability, and other variables. A number of risk and resiliency factors contribute to individual differences in substance use and related consequences. Advances in observational techniques have provided enhanced understanding of adolescent brain development and its implications for substance use. Prevention efforts have yielded mixed results, and while a number of adolescent‐targeted evidence‐based treatments for substance use disorders have been developed, effect sizes are generally modest, indicating the need for further research to enhance prevention and treatment outcomes. Conclusions: Substance use in adolescence is heterogeneous, ranging from normative to pathological, and can lead to significant acute and long‐term morbidity and mortality. Understanding risk and resiliency factors, underlying neurobiology, and optimal developmentally sensitive interventions is critical in addressing substance‐associated problems in adolescence.

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  • Starting substance use in early adolescence is strongly linked to later SUD development and severity.

    “onset of use during early adolescence is strongly associated with subsequent development of SUDs and SUD severity [15, 16]”

    From Interventions for prevention and treatment of substance use in youth with traumatic childhood experiences: a systematic review and synthesis of the literature (2024) · cites this paper as [16]

    The Results > Epidemiology passage (page unavailable) says that initiating alcohol or drug use during adolescence significantly increases the likelihood of a substance use disorder; it also reports a four- to sixfold higher rate of lifetime alcohol dependence among those who begin drinking before age 15. The passage does not link early initiation to greater SUD severity, so that part of the attributed claim is unsupported. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Early substance use is linked to more severe substance use disorders later.

    “which is associated with greater eventual severity of substance use disorders (SUDs)”

    From Interventions for prevention and treatment of substance use in youth with traumatic childhood experiences: a systematic review and synthesis of the literature (2024) · cites this paper as [16]

    The Results > Epidemiology passage says that initiating alcohol or drug use during adolescence increases the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder, and that drinking before age 15 is associated with a higher rate of lifetime alcohol dependence. It does not say that people who develop a disorder have more severe disorders because they started using early. No page number is available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Sowell ER Thompson PM Holmes CJ Jernigan TL Toga AW 1999 In vivo evidence for post adolescent brain maturation in frontal and striatal regions Nature Neuroscience 2 859 861 10491602

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Authors
Gray, K. M., & Squeglia, L. M.
Affiliations
Medical University of South Carolina (US)
Corresponding author
Gray, Kevin M.
Venue
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2017-07-17
Volume
59
Issue
6
Pages
618-627
ISSN
  • 0021-9630 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-7610
OpenAlex
W2736115366
Cited by
383
References
119
Citations by year
2026: 57 · 2025: 58 · 2024: 54 · 2023: 72 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2
FWCI
2.01
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
Pfizer
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Adolescent Health and Behaviors
Keywords
adolescent substance use, adolescent brain development, substance use prevention, addiction treatment, risk factors, resilience factors, peer influence, media messaging, substance availability, public policy
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Humans, Substance-Related Disorders, Cognitive Dysfunction

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