The association of current stimulant use with demographic, substance use, violence-related, social and intrapersonal variables among high risk youth

This paper reports the association of current stimulant use with demographic, other substance use, violence-related, social and intrapersonal variables among a large sample of high risk adolescents. A total of 21.4% of the sample reported using stimulants in the last 30 days. In a final, multivariable model, nonredundant concurrent predictors of current stimulant use were reports that friends use stimulants, reports that stimulants were likely to be used again in the next 12 months, use of alcohol, hallucinogens, or cocaine in the last 30 days, use of alcohol or other drugs to feel more safe, and reports of depression in the last week. Being above the median on 0 to all 7 of these correlates predicted from 0% to 85% of those who were above the median on current stimulant use. One may speculate that programming for these stimulant-using youth should include treatment of multiple substances, depression, and correction of social-cognitive misperceptions.