Development of Substance Use in Girls

女性物质使用的长期发展，物质相关问题， 物质使用障碍（SUD）是知之甚少。至少在两个方面， 与男性相比，她们更容易滥用药物和依赖药物： 从开始使用到SUD的发展更快， 共病精神病理学此外，早期使用药物的风险更高， 与男性相比，女性的SUD发展更快。建议的主要目标 研究的目的是调查频繁使用药物发展的早期阶段， 物质相关问题和SUD。该提案描述了NIMH资助的 匹兹堡女孩研究（N = 2，451; 52%非洲裔美国人，41%白人），一项关于 在四个年龄组的女孩中，反社会行为和犯罪的发展， 在5至8岁时进行评估。这项主要研究目前正在进行第五次年度评估（9至12岁）， 将持续4年。拟议的研究要求继续提供先前的资金 由NIDA，支持检查的前兆和相关的解释因素 与女孩早期的药物使用有关拟议的研究，通过五年的后续行动， 对儿童、主要照顾者和教师的评估，将这一调查延伸到了 从10岁到17岁的发展时期，我们预计女孩的物质使用，物质- 相关问题和共病情况将增加。拟议研究的目的是 （1）描述从1999年到1999年过渡期间女孩使用药物的发展顺序， 儿童期到青春期内和跨物质;（2）研究发展 女孩使用药物的顺序与共病的发展过程 条件，特别是精神病理学和其他行为问题;（3）确定 近端和远端风险和保护因素（通用和女性特异性）， 女孩使用药物的发展顺序。这三个目标，连同 已经收集的关于早期药物使用和态度的数据，将把儿童因素与 青春期的物质使用。匹兹堡女孩研究是美国为数不多的 美国可以从童年到青春期检查这些关系。

The long-term development of female substance use, substance-related problems, and substance use disorders (SUDs) is poorly understood. In at least two ways, females appear more vulnerable to substance abuse and dependence compared to males: they demonstrate more rapid development from onset of use to SUD, and a higher propensity to develop comorbid psychopathology. In addition, early onset of substance use carries a higher risk of developing an SUD among females compared with males. The main goal of the proposed research is to investigate the early phases in the development towards frequent substance use, substance-related problems, and SUD. This proposal describes a substudy to the NIMH-funded Pittsburgh Girls Study (N = 2,451; 52% African-American, 41% Caucasian), an investigation of the development of antisocial behavior and delinquency in four age cohorts of girls, initially assessed at ages 5 to 8. The main study is now in its fifth yearly assessment (ages 9 to 12), and will continue for another 4 years. The proposed study requests a continuation of earlier funding by NIDA, which supported examination of the precursors and explanatory factors associated with girls' early substance use. The proposed research, through five yearly follow-up assessments of the child, the main caretaker, and teachers, extends this line of inquiry into the developmental period from age 10 to 17, when we expect that girls' substance use, substance- related problems, and comorbid conditions will increase. The aims of the proposed research are to: (1) describe developmental sequences of substance use by girls during the transition from childhood into adolescence within and across substances; (2) examine developmental sequences of substance use by girls in conjunction with the developmental course of comorbid conditions, especially psychopathology and other behavior problems; and (3) determine proximal and distal risk and protective factors (both generic and female-specific) for different developmental sequences of substance use by girls. These three aims, in conjunction with the data on early substance use and attitudes already collected, will link childhood factors to substance use during adolescence. The Pittsburgh Girl Study is one of the very few studies in the USA that can examine these relationships from childhood through adolescence.