Abstract

Although psychological symptoms are broadly considered to be risk factors for substance use, internalizing symptoms may be associated with lower risk for adolescent substance use after controlling for co-occurring externalizing symptoms. The present study explored two potential mediators of this protective association between internalizing symptoms and adolescent substance use: popularity and harm avoidance. The study used data from the Colorado Longitudinal Twin Study (LTS) and Colorado Adoption Project (CAP). Annual assessments of internalizing and externalizing symptoms and social competence were completed by parents and teachers at participant ages 7 to 16. Harm avoidance and substance use were assessed at age 17. In this sample, internalizing symptoms were associated with less frequent substance use, controlling for externalizing symptoms. We did not find evidence that popularity or harm avoidance account for the protective association of internalizing symptoms with adolescent substance use. Teacher-reported popularity was associated with less frequent substance use, suggesting that social connectedness in the school context may be a protective factor for adolescent substance use. Harm avoidance was not associated with substance use after accounting for internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

中文翻译：

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内化症状在青少年药物使用中的保护作用的检验

摘要

尽管心理症状被广泛认为是物质使用的危险因素，但在控制同时发生的外化症状后，内化症状可能与青少年物质使用的较低风险相关。本研究探讨了内化症状与青少年物质使用之间这种保护性关联的两个潜在中介因素：受欢迎程度和避免伤害。该研究使用了科罗拉多州纵向双胞胎研究 (LTS) 和科罗拉多州收养项目 (CAP) 的数据。每年对 7 至 16 岁参与者的内化和外化症状以及社交能力进行评估。在 17 岁时评估避免伤害和物质使用。在这个样本中，内化症状与较少的物质使用频率相关，控制了外化症状。我们没有发现证据表明流行或避免伤害可以解释内化症状与青少年物质使用的保护性关联。教师报告的受欢迎程度与药物使用频率较低有关，这表明学校环境中的社会联系可能是青少年药物使用的保护因素。在考虑了内化和外化症状后，避免伤害与物质使用无关。