[Mental problems and impulsivity reported by adolescents: an epidemiological study].

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether number of self-reported impulsivity symptoms was associated with conduct problems, substance use, academic problems, relational problems and exposure to physical violence in adolescents. METHOD: A survey was developed to be used in a nationally representative general community sample. A 2-staged, stratified and clustered sampling was used. For the first stage (school selection) an equal probability, systematic random sampling and for the second stage (class selection) a simple random selection was used. The statistical analysis included the full and usable surveys obtained from 26009 students (97.5% of the invited sample). RESULTS: After parental education, parental employment, economic status and age; presence of antisocial behaviors; substance abuse; and exposure to physical violence were controlled, presence of even one self-reported impulsivity symptom was associated with physical violence, frequent smoking, frequent alcohol use, substance use, self injurious behaviors, carrying weapons, gang membership, poor relations with others, academic failure and poor mental health. ORs increased with the number of self-reported impulsivity symptoms for several behaviors. Several other associations among conduct problems, substance use, academic failure and relational problems are also reported. CONCLUSION: Even one definite impulsivity symptom must be addressed since it is associated with serious behavioral and relational problems. There may be dose-response interaction between the number of definite impulsivity symptoms and behavioral and relational problems.