Abstract
Separation anxiety (SA) among adolescents remains a very rare diagnosis. According to some authors, behavioral disorders may arise from SA disorders. This study evaluated the relationship between cannabis use and family functioning among adolescent cannabis users. Adolescents (n = 336) completed questionnaires about the frequency of their cannabis use, SA symptoms in adult populations, dysfunctional separation-individuation processes in early adolescence, parental types as perceived by the children, and depression symptoms. Adolescent users of cannabis obtained significantly higher scores than adolescent nonusers of cannabis on the Anxiety Separation Adulthood scale (p < .005) and lower scores on the "care" subscale about parents' representations ("mother," p < .01; "father," p < .001). The logistic regression analysis indicated that SA disorders and care significantly encouraged cannabis use. Among adolescents, cannabis use is perceived as a solution that reduces the intolerable feelings of SA disorder. If successful separation-individuation allows autonomy, the results indicate that cannabis use hides individuation problems. The use of this substance allows adolescents to express their personality and differentiate themselves...Continue Reading
References
Apr 1, 1997·The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry·V Manicavasagar, D Silove
Mar 9, 2000·Addictive Behaviors·J SimonsK B Carey
Jun 15, 2001·Journal of Clinical Psychology·D K LapsleyN M Varshney
Feb 5, 2002·Alcohol and Alcoholism : International Journal of the Medical Council on Alcoholism·Sylvie LedouxMartin Plant
Sep 11, 2002·Archives de pédiatrie : organe officiel de la Sociéte française de pédiatrie·H ChabrolJ Armitage
Mar 27, 2003·Comprehensive Psychiatry·V ManicavasagarJ Drobny
Aug 3, 2005·The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry·Nancy E SuchmanSuniya S Luthar
Mar 24, 2007·La Presse médicale·Robert CourtoisCarol Jonas
May 6, 2008·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·Tellervo KorhonenJaakko Kaprio
Jun 3, 2008·L'Encéphale·H ChabrolA Rousseau
Aug 12, 2009·Addiction·Yann Le StratPhilip Gorwood
Nov 7, 2009·Archives de pédiatrie : organe officiel de la Sociéte française de pédiatrie·L BlechaM Reynaud
Mar 27, 2012·The Journal of Adolescent Health : Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine·Stéphane LegleyeNearkasen Chau
Jun 12, 2012·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·Kwame S SakyiPamela J Surkan
Feb 16, 2013·Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology·S KobakA Berdeli