Anxiety-Depressive Profile in Adolescent Consumers of Psychoactive

Abstract

Adolescence is a period of pivotal change in brain development. It accompanied by profound cognitive-behavioral, somatic and psychic changes with increased vulnerability to risk taking. This work explores the current state of consumption of the main psychoactive substances (PAS), (tobacco, cannabis, alcohol) among schoolchildren, their interrelationships and the possible links with psychological suffering of anxious or depressive type. The study is a descriptive and analytical transversal type, carried out by a self-questionnaire and two neuropsychological tests evaluating depressive symptomatology: Adolescent Depression Rating Scale (ADRS) patient version in 10 items, and The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), among 714 high school students aged 15 to 21 years, in Kenitra, Morocco. The results show that the population of adolescents who use psychoactive substances appears to be more depressed and more anxious than non-users. The prevalence of regular consumption of the three psychoactive substances is significant between girls and boys (p < 0.000), and shows that for: tobacco is 16.38% (14.52% girls, 85.47% boys); cannabis is 6.72% (1.7% girls, 95.83% boys); and alcohol is 5.88% (2.56% girls, 92.86% boys). These results encourage an emphasis on the school's role in early detection of adolescent-specific pathologies such as anxiety and depression. As well as the development of strategy of prevention of consumption of the PAS, and the care of the pupils presenting anxious or depressive symptomatology. In addition, further longitudinal studies would be needed to establish causal links among anxiety, depression, and PAS use.