Marijuana abuse in incarcerated adolescents: Reasons for use and implications for treatment

Research is needed to better understand marijuana use and effective treatment among the incarcerated adolescent population. Preliminary pilot work in detention indicates that a substantial number (83%) of adolescents are reporting daily marijuana use (Stein et al., 2006). This research attempted to gain a better understanding of the reasons for marijuana use among incarcerated adolescents. The design and intent of this study was to extend basic knowledge of the reasons for marijuana use, establish factors related to marijuana use, and examine ifrelaxation therapy reduces marijuana use in those who use marijuana as a way to regulate emotions. Participants were 189 incarcerated adolescents age 14-19 (M= 17 years). Participants adjudicated between January 2001 and September 2005 were included in the study if they reported marijuana use prior to their incarceration. Of the 189 participants, 86% were boys, 32.8% White, 29.1 % Hispanic /Latino, 28% African American, and 10.1 % other. Analyses included a principal components analysis (PCA) to investigate variables that correlate to explain reasons for marijuana use . The PCA did not reveal separate factors for marijuana use. In order to continue testing the hypotheses for the study, items from the Brief Situational Confidence Questionnaire-Marijuana (BSCQ-M) were calculated to form a negative affect and a positive affect variable. Although most of the analyses did not confirm the hypotheses, a few interesting and significant findings were revealed. Results indicated that incarcerated adolescents who were in the negative affect group report higher averages of weekly marijuana use and a higher number of days using marijuana at 3-month follow-up than did those who were not in the negative affect group. While those in the positive affect group also reported significant days of use in the past 3-months, there was no difference in the average number of "joints" smoked per week in the past 3 months. Additionally , gender differences were found with females (vs. males) reporting a more significant family history of drug use and were more likely to report that they perceive that marijuana has bad effects on a person. Further research is needed to examine the reasons for marijuana use among incarcerated adolescents to inform and streamline treatment needs. In addition ethnicity and gender should be included in further investigations into the motivations, quantity, and frequency of marijuana use. These findings can assist in the development and implementation of future marijuana treatment efforts with incarcerated adolescents . Acknowledgements First, I'd like to thank my major professor Kat Quina for believing that I could actually do this even when I had begun to lose faith. Kat's positive energy and constant support were instrumental to my progress I can not thank her enough. I also want to thank Lyn Stein, my accidental mentor, a job that seemed to land in her lap whether she wanted it or not. Lyn gave me opportunities to learn and discover in this field that have been invaluable. For this and so much more I thank her. I am also grateful to my amazing committee members, who have been patient and encouraging through this process; Ginette Ferszt; Ellen FlannerySchroeder, John Stevenson and Jerome Adams. I want to send a special thank you to the Rhode Island Training School (RITS), in particular Warren Hurlbut, the superintendent of the facility who is dedicated to supporting research projects that will enhance treatment for juvenile detainees; Charles Golumbeske; Louis Como; and the administrative, school, and correctional staff without whom the project could not have been completed. I would also like to thank the RITS detainees for their participation over the years. Last but not least, a great big, heartfelt thank you to my family for unwavering support from the beginning of this long, difficult journey. They are the reason that I had the courage to even try. I am blessed with a supportive family, friends, and colleagues, all of whom have helped me to keep pushing and to stay positive. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all!