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W Latimer

Publications and source records attributed to W Latimer.

3 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

The DSM-IV criteria for adolescent alcohol and cannabis use disorders.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are to compare DSM-IV criteria for alcohol and cannabis use disorders with its predecessor, DSM-III-R, and to examine the validity of the new criteria in an adolescent drug clinic sample. METHOD: During evaluation, a sample of 772 adolescents (63% boys, 77% white) were administered a structured interview of diagnostic symptoms and additional problem severity measures. Independent staff ratings of problem severity and treatment referral were collected as well. RESULTS: Compared to its predecessor, DSM-III-R, application of the DSM-IV criteria for alcohol and cannabis users resulted in more abuse assignments and fewer dependence assignments. The shift in assignments appeared to be largely due to a lowering of the abuse threshold, rather than to a tightening of the dependence criteria. The external validity data generally supported the DSM-IV abuse and dependence distinction in adolescents, and the newer criteria were as valid as the older criteria. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to DSM-III-R, the DSM-IV system yields more abuse cases and fewer dependence cases among adolescent alcohol and cannabis abusers. Validity evidence for the new criteria are defensible, yet the findings are seen as a starting point for discussing the need for tailoring substance use disorder criteria for adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Prevalence of gambling among Minnesota public school students in 1992 and 1995.

The purposes of this study were to examine the prevalence of gambling among youth, compare rates of gambling between 1992 and 1995, and determine what levels of gambling frequency may be considered common and uncommon. The two samples included 122,700 Minnesota public school students in the 6th, 9th, and 12th grades in 1992; and 75,900 9th and 12th grade students in 1995. Students were administered the Minnesota Student Survey, a 126-item, anonymous, self-administered, paper-and-pencil questionnaire that inquires about multiple content domains, including gambling behaviors. The same questionnaire, with minor revisions to the gambling items, was administered in both 1992 and 1995 to students in their classrooms by the Minnesota Department of Education. There were slight decreases in overall gambling rates from 1992 to 1995. The majority of students gambled at least once during the past year. However, most did not play any game on a weekly/daily rate and did not report any problems associated with their gambling. Gender, grade, and race effects were found for gambling frequency. Boys gambled more often than girls, and 9th and 12th grade students gambled more often than 6th grade students. Asian American and White students reported lower rates of gambling frequency than Mexican/Latin American, African American, and American Indian students. From a statistical standpoint (i.e., beyond the 97.7 percentile), it may be considered in the uncommon range for girls to play two or more games at a weekly/daily rate, and for boys to play four or more games at a weekly/daily rate. Variables associated with gambling frequency included antisocial behavior, gender, and alcohol use frequency. Although the finding that gambling did not increase from 1992 to 1995 is encouraging, this is the first generation of youth to be exposed to widespread accessibility to gambling venues and gambling advertising and it will be important to continue monitoring the prevalence of youth gambling.

Journal Article↗