Identifying cannabis risk profiles from expectancies and use behaviors: a person-centered approach

Abstract

Background Cannabis use is prevalent among college students and is associated with negative consequences and cannabis use disorder. Cannabis expectancies (i.e. anticipated effects from using) are integral to cannabis use models and are related to cannabis use outcomes and cannabis motives (i.e. specific reasons for use). However, research has traditionally examined expectancy relations using variable-centered approaches that emphasize higher-order expectancies, despite evidence that expectancies are heterogeneous and comprised of lower-order domains. The current study employed a person-centered approach to identify subgroups of undergraduates who use cannabis from lower-order expectancies and cannabis use behaviors, and subgroup differences across negative consequences, cannabis use disorder risk, and motives were examined. Method A multisite sample of undergraduates (N = 1148) completed questionnaires regarding cannabis use, expectancies, motives, negative consequences, and cannabis use disorder risk. Results Latent profile analysis suggested that a six-profile solution best fit the data: profile 1 (low use/very weak expectancies, 9.0%); profile 2 (low use/moderate expectancies, 27.3%); profile 3 (low-moderate use/weak positive expectancies, 17.2%); profile 4 (low-moderate use/strong positive expectancies, 20.6%); profile 5 (moderate use/very strong expectancies, 6.5%); profile 6 (very high use/moderate expectancies, 19.3%). Profiles differed on all outcomes, and those with the strongest expectancies and highest use (profiles 5 and 6) endorsed more negative consequences, risk for cannabis use disorder, and higher levels of motives. Discussion Findings align with motivational models of cannabis use and suggest that expectancies may be a relevant cannabis use risk marker. Intervention efforts may be enhanced by screening for expectancies, as well as by attempting to modify these expectancies.