Luebbe Aaron M, Bell Debora J
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA.
J Sch Health. 2009 Aug;79(8):380-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2009.00424.x.
Caffeine, the only licit psychoactive drug available to minors, may have a harmful impact on students' health and adjustment, yet little is known about its use or effects on students, especially from a developmental perspective. Caffeine use in 5th- and 10th-grade students was examined in a cross-sectional design, and relations and potential mediators of caffeine use to depression and anxiety symptoms were investigated.
Children (n = 135) and adolescents (n = 79) completed a measure of naturalistic use of caffeinated and noncaffeinated beverages. Furthermore, daily availability, perceived benefits, and stimulating, psychological, and withdrawal effects of caffeinated and noncaffeinated beverages were assessed. Measures of depression and anxiety were also administered.
Fifth and 10th graders used caffeine frequently. Depression was positively related to caffeine use for both cohorts, though mediated by caffeine withdrawal effects. Surprisingly, anxiety was unrelated to use. Fifth graders reported less daily access to caffeine, but more psychological and stimulating effects of caffeine than 10th graders.
Although both children and adolescents experience negative caffeine-related outcomes, intake is seemingly not greatly limited in either cohort. In particular, youth appear vulnerable to increased depressive symptoms with increasing caffeine consumption. Implications for school policy regarding students' caffeine use are discussed.
咖啡因是未成年人唯一可合法获取的精神活性药物，可能对学生的健康和适应能力产生有害影响，但人们对其在学生中的使用情况或影响知之甚少，尤其是从发育角度来看。本研究采用横断面设计，对五年级和十年级学生的咖啡因使用情况进行了调查，并研究了咖啡因使用与抑郁和焦虑症状之间的关系及潜在中介因素。
儿童（n = 135）和青少年（n = 79）完成了一项关于含咖啡因和不含咖啡因饮料自然使用情况的测量。此外，还评估了含咖啡因和不含咖啡因饮料的每日可得性、感知益处以及刺激、心理和戒断效应。同时也进行了抑郁和焦虑测量。
五年级和十年级学生经常使用咖啡因。两个队列中，抑郁与咖啡因使用呈正相关，不过是由咖啡因戒断效应介导的。令人惊讶的是，焦虑与咖啡因使用无关。五年级学生报告称，他们每天获取咖啡因的机会较少，但咖啡因对他们产生的心理和刺激效应比十年级学生更多。
尽管儿童和青少年都经历了与咖啡因相关的负面结果，但两个队列中的咖啡因摄入量似乎都没有受到很大限制。特别是，随着咖啡因消费量的增加，青少年似乎更容易出现抑郁症状加重的情况。文中还讨论了学校关于学生咖啡因使用政策的影响。
