Association of Substance Abuse and Depression among Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether depression levels differ among suicide-attempting and non-suicide-attempting adolescent inpatients in relation to their alcohol use. METHOD: Ninety-eight adolescents hospitalized at a midwestern psychiatric hospital completed the Children's Depression Inventory and the Rutgers Alcohol Problem-Drinking Index (RAPI). Based on RAPI scores, adolescents were classified as heavy drinkers (n = 36) or light drinkers and nondrinkers (n = 62). RESULTS: Heavy drinkers had significantly more depression than those who were classified as light drinkers or nondrinkers regardless of suicide-attempting status. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate a positive association between depression levels and problems with alcohol in adolescents, indicating that youth who both suffer from depression and abuse alcohol may be at higher risk for a suicide attempt.