L’étude des jeunes usagers de solvants en France est réalisée à partir d’une enquête épidémiologique auprès des structures de l’Éducation Surveillée dans 23 départements.

Un questionnaire approfondi, rempli par l’éducateur décrit le jeune par rapport à sa consommation de produits psychotropes, son comportement délictueux, son environnement familial et social, ses antécédents personnels et son mode de vie.

Des groupes de jeunes du même âge, délinquants vus à l’àducation Surveillée, jeunes scolarisés représentatifs de la population générale, et usagers de solvants vus en centre d’accueil pour jeunes en difficulté, servent à mettre en évidence caractéristiques et spécificités des usagers par rapport aux jeunes de même âge, délinquants ou adaptés au système social.

Une étude bibliographique permet de situer ce travail parmi d’autres enquêtes épidémiologiques, surtout anglosaxonnes, et de montrer l’articulation des résultats avec des recherches cliniques.

This paper presents the results of the first epidemiological survey concerning solvent abuse in France.

Young inhalant abusers are seen through a study among «approved schools» (structure depending on the Justice Department) in 23 French areas.

A detailed questionnaire, including 150 items, has been filled out by social workers.

The questionnaire comprises four major sections:

- General characteristics (socio-demographic description),

- Information on drug involvement (drug selected, frequency of use, method of using inhalants),

- Personal background (way of life, leisure activities, academic performance, antisocial behavior),

- Family and social environment (household composition, behavioral patterns and family's pathological background, interpersonal relationships and emotional climate in home).

Data were collected during a 12 month period.

The young inhalant abusers belonging to «approved schools» (G2) are compared to three young population samples, in order to bring out their specificities and characteristics. These three other groups consist of: young delinquents who do not use solvent G3 (N = 43), a sample of general school adolescents G1 (N = 2088), and inhalant abusers seen in a special youth center G4 (N = 53).

The methodology for data analysis allows three-step comparison of these groups, proceeding by classical statistical models.

Results are presented in tabular form. The authors'purpose is to show up and to discuss the personal and environmental characteristics of solvent abusers.

The analysis of socio-demographic data (table 1) shows that sniffers are mostly male (N = 76), belong to lower socioeconomic groups and have a significant background of family disorganisation (G2 broken homes N = 60).

Table 2 shows difficulties in family interaction: hostility and indifference predominate in inhalant abusers’ and parents’ exchanges.

Tables 3 and 4 reveal a high incidence of pathology in users’ families (father alcoholism, N = 32, sibling drug addiction N = 18).

Table 5 reveals physical and mental difficulties of inhalant users (accidents, N = 35, suicide attempts N = 22, psychosomatic diseases N = 38), a poor performance in school (60%) and a high incidence of antisocial activities (truancy, N = 45, theft N = 63). The main finding in table 6 is the high correlation between inhalant use and smoking abuse (N = 80).

Table 7 reveals the importance of peer influence; moreover, analysis of the sniffer's way of life reveals an important level of passivity and boredom.

This paper, completed by a bibliographical review, provides further implications for clinical research.