The study sought to determine whether the high rates of comorbid disorders among substance-abusing youths in outpatient settings generalized to African-American and Hispanic adolescents. Participants were 167 substance-abusing adolescents and their family members who completed an intake assessment. As part of the assessment, all participants were administered a diagnostic interview to screen for the presence of nine psychiatric diagnoses. The study provides further evidence of the extent of co-occurring diagnoses among adolescent substance abusers. Hispanics presented with significantly higher rates of above-threshold symptoms for externalizing disorders than did African-Americans. The study suggests further research to determine whether there is a basic difference between ethnic groups in the constellation of behavior problem symptoms or if it reflects a bias in the way youths are referred to outpatient treatment. Tables, references