In their recent article, Williams and Gantt (2013) make the provocative claim that the only way to account for human aspiration is to recognize the existence of an eternal soul. Although it is possible to argue for such a position, their exposition is plagued by unsubstantiated assertions, false dichotomies, straw-person arguments, appeals to authority, and disregard for large psychological literatures related to their claims. These problematic forms of argumentation are inadequate to the task that these authors set for themselves and show insufficient respect for many potential interlocutors. In their apparent eagerness to discuss their eternal soul thesis, Williams and Gantt dismiss the work of scholars in positive psychology, virtue ethics, and “mainstream psychology” with whom they share extensive common ground, thereby neglecting the richness and fruitfulness of these scholars’ contributions to the topic of human aspiration.

Objectives: The comorbidity of psychiatric disorders and substance abuse disorders among adolescents and adults is well-documented in the literature (Colder et al., 2013). The current study investigates the relationship between psychiatric and substance use disorders in a sample of treatment-seeking Hispanic adolescents. Methods: The study uses baseline data (N = 190) from a randomized control trial testing the effectiveness of a family-based treatment for Hispanic adolescents with substance abuse disorder to examine the relationship between psychiatric disorders and substance use patterns at baseline, including types of substances used (both lifetime use and past month use) and age of onset of substance use controlling for age and gender. Results: Linear regression models were used to examine predictors of age of onset while logistic regression models examined predictors of lifetime substance use. Significant findings predicting age of onset for marijuana and alcohol are discussed. Additionally, psychiatric profiles were differentially associated with lifetime sedative, stimulant, and hallucinogens, but not alcohol and marijuana. Conclusions: Findings from this study can be used to help inform the treatment of adolescents seeking mental health and substance use services.

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