Detection and Outcomes of Substance Use Disorders in Adolescents Seeking Mental Health Treatment.

Objective: To compare detection rates, service use, and outcomes of substance use disorder (SUD) in adolescents seeking mental health treatment. Method: Adolescents (n = 237) and their parents or caregivers completed parallel, self-administered versions of the Adolescent Treatment Outcomes Module (ATAM) at intake and 6-month follow-up. SUD was asseseed using the Diegnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC). Results: Although 42 (16.6%) adolescents seektng mental health treatment met DISC critaria for any SUD at baseline, clinicians detected only 19 of these (κ = 0.51). Sensitivity and specificity were high for a screening tool for adolescent SUD (95.2 and 82.0, respectively). Adolescents with undetected SUD were less likely to receive SUD services and to have more legal problems at 6-month follow-up compared to adolescents with detected SUD. Conclusions: SUD rates may be high in adolescents seeking mental health treatment, confirming the need for routine screening in this population. Results confirm that a large gap exists between the need for and accese to SUD treatments, which may contribute to poorer outcomes for all adolescents with SUD. Key Words: Adolescent Treatment Outcomes Module; substance abuse; mental health; adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]