Substance Abuse and Learning Disabilities: Peas in a Pod or Apples and Oranges?

Institution	Columbia Univ., New York, NY. National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.
Titel	Substance Abuse and Learning Disabilities: Peas in a Pod or Apples and Oranges?
Quelle	(2000), (44 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Beigaben	Tabellen
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Adolescents; Alcoholism; Behavior Disorders; Children; Disability Identification; Drug Abuse; Drug Addiction; Drug Therapy; Etiology; Learning Disabilities; Multiple Disabilities; Research Needs; Student Characteristics; Substance Abuse + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Adolescent; Adolescence; Adoleszenz; Jugend; Jugendalter; Jugendlicher; Alkoholismus; Child; Kind; Kinder; Drug dependence; Drug consomption; Drogenabhängigkeit; Ätiologie; Learning handicap; Lernbehinderung; Multiple disability; Mehrfachbehinderung; Forschungsbedarf; Drug use; Drogenkonsum
Abstract	This paper was developed as a result of a 1999 conference on substance abuse and learning disabilities. An introductory chapter urges early identification of learning disabilities and appropriate treatment for both problems when they co-exist. The second chapter discusses the differences between learning disabilities and behavioral disorders, the size of the problem of substance abuse in this population, financial and social costs to society, and possible negative outcomes of unnecessary drug treatment of children with learning disabilities. The third chapter examines the question of whether substance abuse leads to learning disabilities and/or behavioral disorders or the reverse. Evidence for the following three theories is reviewed: (1) behavioral effects of learning disabilities are also risk factors for substance abuse; (2) learning disabled children turn to drugs for self medication; and (3) children on psychoactive medication are more likely to believe in the positive effects of drugs. Also examined are the possibilities that behavioral disorders among children lead to parental substance abuse and that learning disabilities and substance abuse are the result of a common cause. The paper urges research with refined diagnostic criteria and greater efforts to inform parents, physicians, teachers, and treatment providers. (Contains approximately 210 references and 101 notes.) (DB)
Anmerkungen	Columbia Univ., National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 633 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017-6706; Web site: http://www.casacolumbia.org.
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2004/1/01