Inhalants are some of the most widely used materials to achieve a quick high. They are inexpensive and readily available, and especially attractive to teenagers. Inhalant users are also sometimes battling other problems, such as antisocial behavior.

A recent study looked at the associations between inhalant use, inhalant use disorders and antisocial behavior. Howard, Perron, Vaughn, Bender and Garland examined the antisocial behavior in a nationally representative sample of inhalant users. The findings were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC).

The study looked at 20 childhood and adult antisocial behaviors and their lifetime prevalence in inhalant users who also had inhalant-use disorders, and those without an inhalant use disorder. They also looked at associations between inhalant use, inhalant use disorders and specific antisocial behaviors in multivariate analyses.

Finally, the study examined the relationships between inhalant use, inhalant use disorders and antisocial behaviors in those who are diagnosed with an antisocial personality disorder.

A total of 43,093 U.S. residents completed the NESARC, a multistage national survey including a structured psychiatric interview.

The results of the study show that inhalant users were significantly younger and more likely to be unemployed, male, single, and to report family history of drug and alcohol problems that their non-user counterparts.

Those with an inhalant use disorder were significantly more likely to have family histories of alcohol problems and personal histories of drug problems, compared with those who did not have a disorder. Those with an inhalant use disorder were also significantly more likely to have had childhood and adult antisocial behaviors than their counterparts.

There was also a significant association between inhalant use disorders and bullying behavior, starting physical fights, using weapons, and less violent behavior like staying out all night without permission, running away, and frequent truancy. It was also associated with irresponsibility in adulthood.

The study used multivariate analyses to determine that those with an inhalant use disorder had a significantly elevated risk for childhood and adult antisocial behaviors, compared with non-users.

Among those with antisocial personality disorder, inhalant use and inhalant use disorders were associated with greater levels of antisocial behaviors.

The findings of the study indicate that those participants with inhalant use disorder had increased difficulty with antisocial behaviors, including a wide range of violent behaviors. For those struggling with antisocial behavior disorder, there was an increased level of effect on the behaviors when inhalant use was introduced.