Motives for substance use among young people seeking mental health treatment

Aims: To explore substance use motives among young people seeking mental health treatment. Methods: Participants consisted of 103 young people seeking mental health treatment, who had used drugs or alcohol in the past year. The young people completed a 42-item substance use motives measure based on the Drinking Motives Measure for their most frequently used substance in the past year. Results: Exploratory factor analysis of the substance use motives scale indicated the young people reported using substances for positive and negative drug effects, to socialize with their peers, and to cope with a negative affect. They did not report using substances for enhancement or conformity motives. Coping motives predicted the presence of a current substance use disorder. Conclusions: The findings support the need for integrated treatment approaches within mental health settings, particularly targeted at young people with co-occurring mental health and substance use problems. © 2008 The Authors Journal compilatio