Assessment of Marijuana Use and Psychosocial Behaviors at Two Historically Black Universities

Abstract

Research exploring marijuana use patterns in students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs)is relatively sparse. This study sought to empirically assess three constructs (resilient, invulnerable, and vulnerable)as they relate to marijuana use and to assess the role of spirituality and social support as potential buffering mechanisms. Participants in this study were 1,013 African American undergraduate students from two HBCUs in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Participants completed a 95-item survey assessing demographic and behavioral patterns of college students. The findings provide preliminary support for quantitative distinctions between marijuana risk categories based on the selected risk and protective factors. In particular, respondents who continue to use marijuana (vulnerables)were less spiritual compared to those who either halted use (resilients) or those who never used marijuana at all (invulnerables). Implications are discussed in terms of theory-building and prevention strategies.