Valorar la dependencia nicotinica en jovenes fumadores a traves de una version adaptada para adolescentes de los criterios nosologicos DSM-IV para la dependencia a la nicotina (DSM-IVa). Determinar su utilidad y los items mas importantes del mismo en adolescentes fumadores

Se entrevisto a 2.647 escolares de entre 10 y 17 anos. Se calculo un tamano muestral para cada edad, en anos, mediante la ecuacion de poblaciones finitas, anadiendo un 10% para que en el caso de existir mermas no aumentasen el error absoluto final. Para cada edad el muestreo fue estratificado por sexo y tipo de centro, con afijacion en cada estrato proporcional al numero de individuos. La eleccion de centros y alumnos se hizo mediante tabla de numeros aleatorios. La encuesta, ademas de recoger los principales datos personales, comprendia una version adaptada a adolescentes de los criterios nosologicos DSM-IV para la dependencia a la nicotina

El 23,1% eran fumadores, y de ellos el 63,5% eran fumadores diarios. Segun el DSM-IVa, el 70,7% de los fumadores eran dependientes de la nicotina. El DSMIVa obtuvo un indice kappa de 1 y una buena consistencia interna (coeficiente α de Cronbach=0,5598)

El DSM-IVa es util en dicha poblacion, aunque no perfecto. Segun sus criterios, el 70,7% de los entrevistados ya se habian vuelto dependientes de la nicotina, siendo las preguntas clave las referentes a la presencia de sintomas del sindrome de abstinencia nicotinica y a la necesidad de emplear gran parte del tiempo libre en conseguir o consumir tabaco

To evaluate nicotine dependence in adolescent smokers using a version of DSM-IV criteria for nicotine dependence adapted for adolescents (DSM-IVa). To establish its usefulness and the most relevant items for diagnosing adolescent smokers

Two thousand six hundred forty-seven schoolchildren between 10 and 17 years old were surveyed. A sample size was calculated for each year of age, using the finite population equation with the addition of 10% so that the absolute error would not increase at the end of the study if questionnaires were withdrawn. The sample was stratified by sex and type of school for each age group, with allocation to each stratum proportional to the number of individuals. Schools and students were selected using random number tables. The questionnaire collected the most significant personal data and information related to DSM-IVa criteria

Smokers made up 23.1% of the sample, and 63.5% of them smoked daily. According to the DSM-IVa criteria, 70.7% of the smokers were nicotine dependent. The DSM-IVa had a kappa value of 1 and internal consistency was good (Cronbach's α: 0.5598)

The DSM-IVa is useful in the studied population, although not perfect. According to the criteria, 70.7% of those interviewed were already nicotine dependent. The key questions were those that referred to the presence of nicotine withdrawal syndrome symptoms and the need to spend a large amount of free time obtaining or smoking cigarettes