Problem Gambling Among Ontario Students: Associations with Substance Abuse, Mental Health Problems, Suicide Attempts, and Delinquent Behaviours.

This paper describes gambling problems among Ontario students in 2009 and examines the relationship between gambling problems and substance use problems, mental health problem indicators, and delinquent behaviors. Data were derived from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey of Ontario students in grades 7-12. Gambling problems were measured as 2 or more of 6 indicators of problem gambling. In total 2.8% of the students surveyed endorsed two or more of the problem gambling items. The odds of problem gamblers reporting mental distress was 4.2 times higher than the rest of the sample and the odds of problem gamblers reporting a suicide attempt were 17.8 times greater than the rest of the sample. In addition compared to the rest of the students, delinquent behaviors were also more common among problem gamblers, including theft (OR = 14.5), selling marijuana (OR = 19.6), gang fights (OR = 11.3) and carrying a handgun (OR = 11.2). In a multivariate analysis, substance-use problems, mental health problems, and the participation in a variety of delinquent behaviors remained significantly associated with youth problem gambling behavior. Students who report problem gambling behaviors show increased substance abuse, mental health, and delinquency/criminal problems that are similar to those seen among adult problem gamblers. The association between these problems suggests that these problems could be addressed in a unified manner.

Nonmedical use of opioid analgesics among Ontario students.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prevalence and the demographic predictors of nonmedical use of opioid analgesics in the Canadian adolescent population. DESIGN: Data are based on self-reports derived from the 2007 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, which is an anonymous, in-school, cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Schools in Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2914 students in grades 7 to 12. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic predictors of nonmedical use of opioid analgesics during the past year and the sources of opioid analgesics. RESULTS: Students ranged in age from 12 to 19 years (mean 15.0, SD 1.9) and 52% were male. Of the students surveyed, 20.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 18.9% to 22.3%) reported using opioid analgesics at least once nonmedically during the past year, with 6.2% using exclusively nonmedically and 14.4% using nonmedically and medically. Female students (16.6%, CI 14.1% to 19.6%) were more likely than male students (12.0%, CI 10.0% to 14.2%) to have used opioid analgesics both nonmedically and medically in the past year, although exclusive nonmedical use was similar between female (6.7%, CI 5.3% to 8.5%) and male (5.8%, CI 4.5% to 7.3%) students. Among students who reported using opioid analgesics nonmedically, 72% reported obtaining them from home and only 6% reported obtaining them from friends. Nonmedical opioid analgesic users had higher past-year prevalences for alcohol use, daily smoking, and other illicit drug use compared with nonusers. CONCLUSION: Nonmedical use of opioids is common among Ontario students. The motivation for using these medications without prescriptions or without medical supervision is not known. Students might have used these medications recreationally or for pain relief. Regardless of motivation, these medications are being used without medical supervision. It is important to note that the home is the main source for opioid analgesics in the absence of a prescription. Parents should be vigilant and educate themselves and their children about these medications, ensuring that prescription opioids are stored properly and avoiding casual sharing of these medications among family members.

History of Family Involvement with Child Protective Services as a Risk Factor for Bullying in Ontario Schools.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between history of family involvement with child protective services (CPS) and bullying was examined. METHOD: Data were obtained from 2,516 pupils aged 12-19 in the 2007 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. The association between self-reported history of family involvement with CPS and bullying was estimated using negative binomial hurdle regression models. RESULTS: Females who reported family CPS involvement were more likely to have bullied and been bullied compared with females without CPS involvement. Among males, family CPS involvement was only significantly associated with bully victimisation. CONCLUSION: A history of family CPS involvement was a risk factor for bullying victimisation and perpetration.

Epidemiology of firesetting in adolescents: mental health and substance use correlates.

OBJECTIVE: Despite high rates of firesetting among community adolescents, little is known about its correlates. This study identifies the mental health and substance use correlates of four firesetting levels in an epidemiological sample of adolescents. METHODS: Three thousand, nine hundred and sixty-five (3,965) students in grades 7 to 12 were surveyed. Multinomial analyses were used to compare non-firesetters; desisters (lifetime, but no past-year firesetting); low frequency firesetters (once or twice in the past 12 months); and high frequency firesetters (3 + times) on measures of mental health and substance use. RESULTS: Twenty-seven percent of youth reported firesetting during the past year. Of these, 13.7% reported one or two episodes, and 13.5% reported 3 or more episodes. Firesetting was more prevalent among males and among those in high school. Youth who began firesetting before age 10 were more likely to report frequent firesetting during the past year. Compared to non-firesetters, the firesetting groups had elevated risk profiles. Desisters and low frequency firesetters were more likely to report psychological distress, binge drinking, frequent cannabis use, and sensation seeking. Low frequency firesetters also reported higher rates of delinquent behavior, suicidal intent, and low parental monitoring than non-firesetters. High frequency firesetters reported elevated risk ratios for all of these risk indicators plus other illicit drug use. The cumulative number of risk indicators was positively associated with firesetting severity. CONCLUSIONS: Firesetting is associated with psychopathology and substance use during adolescence. Findings highlight the need for programs to address the mental health and substance use problems that co-occur with firesetting.

The linkages among childhood maltreatment, adolescent mental health, and self-compassion in child welfare adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: Childhood maltreatment is a robust risk factor for poor physical and mental health. Child welfare youths represent a high-risk group, given the greater likelihood of severe or multiple types of maltreatment. This study examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment and self-compassion - a concept of positive acceptance of self. While not applied previously to a child welfare sample, self-compassion may be of value in understanding impairment among maltreatment victims. This may be most pertinent in adolescence and young adulthood, when self-identity is a focal developmental process. METHODS: The present sample was drawn from the Maltreatment and Adolescent Pathways (MAP) Longitudinal Study, which followed randomly selected adolescents receiving child protection services across two years within an urban catchment area. Child maltreatment was assessed at baseline using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein et al., 1994, 2003). Mental health, substance and alcohol use problems, suicide attempt, and self-compassion were assessed at the two-year follow-up point. There were 117 youths, aged 16-20 years (45.3% males) who completed the self-compassion scale (Neff, 2003). Bivariate correlations were computed between adolescent self-compassion and each form of self-reported maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect). Finally, hierarchical, stepwise regression was used to examine unique contributions of child maltreatment subtypes in predicting adolescent self-compassion, as well as maltreatment-related impairment. RESULTS: Higher childhood emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical abuse were associated with lower self-compassion. Controlling for age and gender, emotional abuse was significantly associated with reduced self-compassion, even when the effects of emotional neglect and physical abuse were taken into account. Youths with low self-compassion were more likely to have psychological distress, problem alcohol use, and report a serious suicide attempt, as compared with those with high self-compassion. A number of maltreatment-related areas of impairment, identified by screening instruments, were significantly associated with lower self-compassion. CONCLUSION: Self-compassion may be a fruitful aspect of research to pursue in an effort to better understand the impact of childhood emotional abuse on adolescent functioning, particularly considering the under-researched group of those receiving child protective services.

Prevalence and correlates of street racing among Ontario high school students.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the prevalence and correlates of street racing among adolescents derived from the 2009 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS), an epidemiological survey of students in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: The key response variable, self-reported street racing in past year, was examined in relation to grade level, rural/urban, school marks, cannabis use, drinking and driving, cannabis use and driving, and property, physical, drugs, and weapons delinquencies. All survey estimates were weighted, and variance and statistical tests were corrected for the complex sampling design. RESULTS: Of the 3053 9th- to 12th-graders (66% response rate), 5.6 percent of high-schoolers (an estimated 42,000 in the province) and (20.4% of grade 11 and 12 students with an advanced-level or full license) reported driving a car, truck, or sport utility vehicle (SUV) in a street race in the 12 months before the survey. Logistic regression analysis of the advanced-level or fully licensed students in grades 11 and 12 found that males compared to females and students in grade 11 compared to students in grade 12 had significantly higher adjusted odds of street racing. Supportive of problem behavior theory, students who reported property and drug delinquencies compared to students not engaging in these delinquencies also had significantly higher adjusted odds of street racing. CONCLUSIONS: This first population-based study in North America suggested that the prevalence of street racing at 1 in 5 of advanced or fully licensed high-schoolers in grades 11 and 12 poses significant public health concerns, especially related to the potential for unintentional injury.

An exploratory approach to analyzing alcohol control policy opinions held by Ontario adults.

Telephone interview data from a representative sample of 1,216 Ontario adults were analyzed using latent class analysis to determine whether distinct and homogeneous classes of individuals could be identified based on their responding patterns to 11 alcohol policy items. Five latent classes were identified and labeled as: dedicated liberalizers, moderate liberalizers, moderate controllers, dedicated controllers, and an ambivalent class. Multinomial regression analysis indicated that demographic and alcohol factors differentiated the classes. Those most opposed to alcohol controls, dedicated liberalizers, were more likely to be male, younger and heavier drinkers. Given their young age it is possible that further erosion of public support for alcohol controls may be expected.

Adolescents' attitudes toward wheelchair users: a provincial survey.

The study aims were to examine (i) adolescents' attitudes towards family members who use a wheelchair in relation to other health problems and conditions, and (ii) the association between perceived wheelchair stigma and socio-demographic factors. Data were based on surveys from 2790 seventh to 12th grade students derived from the 2007 cycle of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Stigmatized attitudes towards a family member who required the use of a wheelchair (5.5%) were lower than those attitudes towards a family member who was addicted to drugs (68.3%), alcohol (54.9%), or gambling (53.7%), or who had mental illness (25.9%), and similar to those attitudes for a family member with asthma (2.2%). Grade level was the only significant negative correlate of the perceived wheelchair stigma. The perceived wheelchair stigma among the adolescents may not be a significant barrier towards community integration for wheelchair users.