Disruptive behavior disorders and substance use disorders in adolescents

Disruptive behaviors disorders in the form of conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and/or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are found in a majority of adolescents with substance use disorders. These disorders influence the risk for and the course of substance use disorders in adolescents and potentially provide important targets for intervention. Interventions such as family therapy and multisystemic therapy can focus on important environmental factors that help to produce and sustain substance use, related problems and disruptive/deviant social behavior. Researchers and clinicians are increasingly utilizing multimodal approaches that use several psychosocial approaches in addition to medication, if indicated. This article reviews our current understanding of the relationship between disruptive behavior disorders and substance use disorders in adolescents and the importance of this understanding in the prevention, assessment and treatment of adolescents with substance use disorders.