Comorbid Psychiatric Factors Contributing to Adolescent Alcohol and Other Drug Use

Alcohol and other drug (AOD) use is common among adolescents, and its consequences pose important public health problems. Consequently, it is essential to understand the numerous factors that place adolescents at risk for AOD use. These factors include psychological and psychiatric influences (e.g., comorbid psychiatric disorders) as well as peer, environmental, and family factors. The impact of these factors may be moderated by other influences, such as the adolescents’ previous AOD use experience and gender. A thorough understanding of the factors that influence adolescent AOD use, and how their effects may change as adolescents age, is critical for the development of effective prevention and treatment efforts.