The misuse of benzodiazepines among adolescents: Psychosocial risk factors in a national sample

BackgroundThe misuse of benzodiazepines (BZs) among adolescents is an important issue within the fields of mental health, medicine, and public health. Though there is an increasing amount of research on prescription medication misuse, a relatively small number of studies focus on adolescent BZ misuse. The goal of this study, therefore, is to identify demographic and psychosocial factors that place adolescents at risk for misusing BZs. Additionally, the authors applied concepts from social bonding theory, social learning theory, and strain theory to determine the extent to which these concepts explain BZ misuse.MethodsUsing data from the 2011 National Survey of Drug Use & Health, multivariate logistic regression models were estimated to determine which factors were associated with an increased risk of BZ misuse.ResultsThese findings help to describe the psychosocial profile of adolescent BZ misusers which should increase the ability of clinicians to identify patients who may be at greater risk for misuse.ConclusionThis study is particularly important within the context of psychiatry, where a clearer understanding of adolescent BZ misuse is critical for informing prevention efforts and developing best practices for prescribing BZs.