The relationship between antisocial behaviour and substance abuse in childhood and adolescence: implications for aetiology, prevention and treatment

Substance use disorders frequently begin during the adolescent years, and are associated with marked morbidity and increased mortality. The association of substance abuse with childhood antisocial behaviour is well established. The present review focuses on recent work that explores the relative importance of antisocial behaviour, other psychopathologies, and other risk and protective factors in the causation of substance use disorders, It also describes studies that evaluated treatment and prevention interventions, and identifies potentially fruitful areas for future study, Curr Opin Psychiatry 14:317-323. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.