A Gender Comparison of Cognition, Emotion and Physiological Dimension of Depressive Symptoms and its Relation to Adolescent Substance use in a Low-income Population in Colombia

In several cases, individuals who do not complete all criteria for diagnostic of depression still show interference with daily life activities and suicidal ideation. These cases deserve clinical attention despite the diagnostic threshold for depression, even more when depression is accompanied by substance misuse, because it could lead to chronicity and a severe impact of youth’s life. As clinicians we may find three main components in the constellation of depressive symptoms: cognitive, emotional and physiological. Past research have found gender differences in the presentation and comorbidity of internalizing symptoms, however, little is known about gender differences in the effect of cognition, emotion and physical symptoms of depression on the use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis. In fact, to our knowledge, there are no studies of these characteristics performed in a low-income sample of adolescents in Colombia.

Objective: To compare the frequency of using alcohol, tobacco and cannabis between girls and boys in a low-income sample of adolescents in Colombia 2) to explore the effect of cognition, emotion and physical symptoms of depression on the use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis.

Method: A total of 364 students of one of the biggest public school from middle-low socioeconomic-status from Sincelejo (Sucre, Colombia), whose age raged from 12 to 18 years-old (Mean age= 15.05 years-old) participated in the study. Participants completed three measures: one for depressive symptoms, one for dimensions of depressive symptoms and one for measuring the alcohol, smoking and substance involvement.

Results: None gender difference in the frequency of using alcohol, tobacco and cannabis was found. For boys, tobacco was better explained by the physiological dimension of depressive symptoms (p >0.5) and being older (p >0.5) and cannabis was better explained by the emotional one (p >0.5). For girls, tobacco and alcohol was better explained by being older.