Adolescent inhalant use among male patients in treatment for substance and behavior problems: two-year outcome

Adolescent inhalant users are significantly more likely than other patients to have conduct disorder, to report abuse and neglect, and to have previously attempted suicide. Yet little has been published regarding treatment outcome for inhalant users.

Eighty male adolescents admitted to a residential treatment program underwent baseline assessment during treatment, and follow-up assessment at two-years post admission. Subjects reporting any lifetime inhalant use at baseline (n = 34) were compared to the other patients (n = 46) on 4 outcome variables.

Adolescents reporting any lifetime inhalant use at baseline assessment reported twice as many past-year conduct disorder symptoms at two-year follow up (p = 0.03). The relationship between inhalant use and conduct disorder symptoms remained significant (p = 0.03) in analyses that controlled for age, time in jail or restricted environments in the 6-months preceding follow-up, as well as baseline-reported lifetime number of conduct disorder symptoms. Inhalant users were not significantly worse on these other outcome measures: crime in the last month (p = 0.60), days of nontobacco substance use in the last 6 months (p = 0.65), or, commission of selected crimes in the last 6 months (p = 0.06).

Inhalant use among adolescent males in treatment for substance and behavior problems may predict more severe conduct disorder symptoms after treatment.