Peer Review #1 of "The age of onset of substance use is related to the coping strategies to deal with treatment in men with substance use disorder (v0.2)" [peer_review]

2017 unpublished
Background. The age of onset of substance use (OSU) as well as the coping strategies (CS) influence both the development and the course of Substance Use Disorders (SUD). We aim to examine the differences in the CS applied to deal with treatment in men with SUD, considering whether the age of OSU had begun at age 16 or earlier (OSU≤16) or at 17 years or later (OSU≥17), as well as the associations of the CS with clinical variables were studied. Methods. A total of 122 patients with at least 3
more » ... hs of abstinence, 60 with OSU≤16 and 62 with OSU≥17, were evaluated through the Coping Strategies Inventory and clinical assessment tools. Results. The OSU≤16 patients were younger and presented a worse clinical state. Compared to the norms, the SUD patients were less likely to use adaptive CS, although this was more remarkable for the OSU≤16 group. Furthermore, the OSU≤16 patients presented a CS pattern of higher Disengagement, with lesser use of Social Support and higher Problem Avoidance and Social Withdrawal. In the whole SUD sample, the severity of addiction, number of relapses and age of OSU (as a continuous variable) were related to maladaptive coping. Nevertheless, the cut-off age of OSU modulated these results. Conclusions. The OSU≤16 was a risk factor for presenting greater clinical severity and a more dysfunctional CS profile to deal with treatment. Thus, the cut-off age considered has allowed us to differentiate SUD patients with more vulnerability to present worse clinical prognosis who may require specific prevention and rehabilitation strategies discussed throughout this work. Manuscript to be reviewed 41 42 43 44 45 ABSTRACT 46 47 Background. The age of onset of substance use (OSU) as well as the coping strategies (CS) 48 influence both the development and the course of Substance Use Disorders (SUD). We aim to 49 examine the differences in the CS applied to deal with treatment in men with SUD, considering 50 whether the age of OSU had begun at age 16 or earlier (OSU≤16) or at 17 years or later 51 (OSU≥17), as well as the associations of the CS with clinical variables were studied. Methods. 52 A total of 122 patients with at least 3 months of abstinence, 60 with OSU≤16 and 62 with 53 OSU≥17, were evaluated through the Coping Strategies Inventory and clinical assessment tools. 54 Results. The OSU≤16 patients were younger and presented a worse clinical state. Compared to 55 the norms, the SUD patients were less likely to use adaptive CS, although this was more 56 remarkable for the OSU≤16 group. Furthermore, the OSU≤16 patients presented a CS pattern of 57 higher Disengagement, with lesser use of Social Support and higher Problem Avoidance and 58 Social Withdrawal. In the whole SUD sample, the severity of addiction, number of relapses and 59 age of OSU (as a continuous variable) were related to maladaptive coping. Nevertheless, the cut-60 off age of OSU modulated these results. 61 Conclusions. The OSU≤16 was a risk factor for presenting greater clinical severity and a more 62 dysfunctional CS profile to deal with treatment. Thus, the cut-off age considered has allowed us 63 to differentiate SUD patients with more vulnerability to present worse clinical prognosis who 64 may require specific prevention and rehabilitation strategies discussed throughout this work.
doi:10.7287/peerj.3660v0.2/reviews/1 fatcat:lga5zwbihbdoplbnicjci3qvo4