Abstract
During adolescence, rapid maturational changes occur in cognitive, emotional, physical, and social domains. Involvement in risky behaviors, such
as substance use, generally increases during this developmental period.
Experimental use of certain substances may be normative during adolescence; however, some teens engage in heavy substance use that results in
impairment in daily functioning and interferes with the achievement of developmental tasks, such as graduation from high school and entry into the
workforce. A developmental perspective is essential for valid definition and
assessment of substance use disorders (SUDs) in adolescence and to understand the factors influencing clinical course (Brown, 1999). A developmental
approach applied to the definition of SUDs recognizes that symptoms manifest differently in adolescents compared to adults due to differences in typical pattern and reasons for engaging in substance use. With regard to clinical
course, a developmental approach emphasizes individual variability in
course, as well as the effect of reciprocal influences between maturational
variables, substance use, and the environmental context in which changes
in these areas occur.