Related Experiment Videos
Delinquency and association with behavioral disorders and substance abuse
Gustavo Manoel Schier Dória1, Sérgio Antonio Antoniuk1, Francisco Baptista Assumpção Junior2
1Post-Graduate Program in Child and Adolescent Health, Health Sciences Sector, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
Revista Da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992)
|April 25, 2015
Summary
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder (CD), and substance abuse disorder (SAD) are common in incarcerated male adolescents. ADHD and CD are significantly associated with substance abuse and delinquency.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Forensic Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Adolescents in conflict with the law often exhibit high rates of psychiatric disorders.
- Understanding the prevalence of ADHD, CD, and SAD in this population is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and associations of ADHD, CD, and SAD in male adolescents in conflict with the law in Brazil.
- To explore the relationship between these disorders and delinquency.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 69 adolescent boys incarcerated in Curitiba, Brazil, was assessed.
- The Brazilian version of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children (K-SADS-PL) was utilized.
Main Results:
- 81.1% of subjects presented with psychiatric disorders.
- Conduct disorder (59.4%), substance abuse disorder (53.6%), and ADHD (43.5%) were the most prevalent.
- ADHD and CD showed significant associations with substance abuse (p <0.001 and p <0.01, respectively).
Conclusions:
- ADHD, CD, and SAD are highly prevalent in male adolescents in conflict with the law.
- These disorders are associated with delinquency in this vulnerable population.
- Findings highlight the need for integrated mental health services within the juvenile justice system.