To This End

Monshouwer, K.

( 2008) Utrecht University Repository

(Dissertation)

Supervisor(s): Vollebergh, Wilma; van Os, J.; de Graaf, R.

Abstract

Substance usage is generally considered as one of the most crucial kinds of risk behaviour amongst teenagers. In order to comprehend compound use patterns in the teen population and to be able to take prompt, appropriate and targeted measures to prevent substance usage related harm, it is important to closely … learn more monitor elements like the frequency of use, age of first usage, strength of use, trends, risk aspects and co-morbid problems. The objective of this thesis is to provide this info for making use of alcohol and cannabis among Dutch adolescents. To this end, 2 high quality, nationally representative epidemiological research studies, i.e. the Dutch National School Survey on Substance Use (DNSSU) (Monshouwer et al., 2004) and the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (HBSC) (Dorsselaer et al., 2007) were evaluated. The first part of this thesis describes the occurrence and patterns in the use of alcohol and cannabis. Among the main findings was that the increase in the life time frequency rate of alcohol use over the period 1992-2003 was especially strong among the youngest age (12-14 years). The study on cannabis demonstrated that the modifications in the prevalence rates across 1988- 2003 showed underlying shift in the age of first Medical Cannabis Doctors usage. For instance, while frequency rates showed an increase from 1988 to 1996, age of very first cannabis usage decreased. The second part of the thesis concentrated on the development to risky substance use patterns i.e. drunkenness and polydrug use. It was shown that that the time period between the very first beverage and first drunkenness is little (1,6 years). Furthermore, polydrug usage appeared to be highly widespread, practically one quarter of the 12-16 year olds utilized 2 or more substances (consisting of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and hard drugs) in the month prior to the study. The threat of ending up being a polydrug user increased with age, was biggest for ethnically Dutch students and those attending lower occupation education. The third part of this thesis showed that both alcohol and cannabis usage were related to a higher risk for externalising problems (overdue and aggressive behaviour). For alcohol, but not for cannabis use it was revealed that this relationship was particularly strong amongst the more youthful age group (i.e.