The Association between Suicidality and Impulsivity among Adolescents with Substance use Disorders

Abstract

The current study is a cross sectional case–control study. It was carried out at the Adolescents’ substance abuse outpatient clinic, Helwan psychiatric hospital. The sample consisted of 2 groups; a case group, where 4o male adolescents with age range of 12-18 years diagnosed as having substance use disorders were included in the study. The second group was a control group which includes 40 volunteers of male adolescents matched for age, socioeconomic class and educationwith the case group. All participants in both groups were assessed using The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID) for Clinical diagnosis of substance use disorder and any co-morbidities, the Arabic version was used, Barratt impulsiveness scale version 11(BIS-11)was used to assess the Impulsivity, in terms of 3 domains; Motor, Planning, and Attention impulsiveness with 30 items scored on a 4-point scale ranging from 1=rarely/never, to 4= almost always/alwaysusing the Arabic version, Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) The scale is composed of36 items that describe particular feelings and behaviors. The respondent indicates how often each statement applies to him or her, using a 4-point scale. The Arabic version was used. As regards association between impulsivity and suicidality in the adolescents withsubstance use disordersour results showed positive correlation in-between with statistically significant difference.Regarding relation between impulsivityand eductionamong adolescents with substance use disorders, this study found significantly higher impulsivity grades by Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS 11)in caseswith lowereducational levels with statistically significant difference. Also as regards Relationship between impulsivityin adolescents withsubstance dependence and others with substance with substance abusethis study foundsignificantlyhigher impulsivity levels in cases with substance dependence compared with cases with substance abuse, While regarding suicidality grades by suicidality probability scale (SPS) were significantly higher among cases with substance abuse compared to cases with substance dependence (Assessedby MINI KIDMini International Neuropsychiatric Interview forChildren and Adolescents). Regardingsuicidality gradesinadolescents with substance dependencecompared with adolescent with substance abduse in the case groupsuicidality were significantly higher among cases with substance abuse compared to cases with substance dependence (Assessedby MINI KIDMini International Neuropsychiatric Interview forChildren and Adolescents). Suicidality grades by suicidality probability scale (SPS) were significantly higher among cases with substance abuse compared to cases with substance dependence (Assessedby MINI KIDMini International Neuropsychiatric Interview forChildren and Adolescents) Also as regardadolescent with substance use disorder using Hashish either as monosubstance or their main substance among polysubstancehadsignificantly higher suicidality grades on suicidality probability scale (SPS) compared to the other adolescents in the cases groups who had different substance use profile with statistically significant difference. Regarding to association between suicidality in patients using polysubstances with their main substance Tramadol, This study found that adolescent with substance use disorder using poly substanceswithTramadol as their main substancehadsignificantly higher suicidality grades on suicidality probability scale (SPS) compared to the other adolescents in the cases groups who had different substance use profile.