X. Substance-Related Disorders

What is substance abuse?
Substance abuse is a maladaptive pattern of substance use that results in repeated, significant adverse effects and maladaptive behavior (e.g., failure to meet obligations at work, school, or at home, repeated use of a psychoactive substance in hazardous ways).

What factors place teenagers at risk for abusing alcohol?
Factors that lead teenagers to abuse alcohol include high levels of stress, a tendency to cope with problems in maladaptive ways, exposure to peers who drink or use drugs, a low level of parental support, and positive expectancies about the effects of alcohol.

	12.12	Review of Key Terms Check your knowledge of some key terms and concepts from this section.