Predictors Of Cannabis Use Research Articles

Externalizing Behavior Problems and Cigarette Smoking as Predictors of Cannabis Use

To examine externalizing behavior problems and cigarette smoking as predictors of subsequent cannabis use. Dutch adolescents (N = 1,606; 854 girls and 752 boys) from the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS) ongoing longitudinal study were examined at baseline (ages 10-12 [T1]) and at two follow-up assessments (ages 12-15 [T2] and 15-18 [T3]). The analysis focused on DSM-IV externalizing behavior (conduct, attention deficit hyperactivity, and oppositional) problems at T1, assessed by the Youth Self Report and the Child Behavior Check List, on self-reported ever smoking at T2, and on cannabis use at T3. All associations of parent-rated externalizing behavior problems with cannabis were mediated by earlier smoking. Considering self-reported problems, none of these associations with cannabis were mediated by smoking, except the influence of self-reported conduct problems in girls. Interestingly, even after adjusting for externalizing problems, earlier smoking independently and consistently predicted cannabis use. The adjusted odds ratios for smoking varied in boys from 4.8 to 5.2 (ever) from 10 to 12 (daily) and from 22 to 23 (early-onset) whereas in girls from 4.9 to 5.0, 5.6 to 6.1, and 27 to 28, respectively (p <.001 for all). Our findings challenge the view that externalizing behavior problems directly predict cannabis initiation. Such associations were inconsistent across informants and sexes and were often mediated by earlier smoking. Early smoking onset is a powerful predictor of later cannabis initiation independent of preceding externalizing behavior problems. Although externalizing behavior problems are important as a starting point for substance use trajectories, early-onset smoking should be identified as an important marker of cannabis use risk.

Multiple Risk Factor Model Predicting Cannabis Use and Use Disorders: A Longitudinal Study

Background: Identification of factors associated with the initiation and continuation of cannabis use is important for any preventive work. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the early life course predictors of cannabis use and the development of cannabis use disorder in early adulthood. Methods: Data from Mater Hospital and University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), a population-based prospective birth cohort study. Participants were a cohort of 2,493 young adults who completed the life-time version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-computerized version (CIDI-Auto) at the 21-year follow-up, and for whom data were available from previous follow-ups. Ever use and age at first use of cannabis was assessed via self-report, and cannabis use disorder was measured based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version IV (DSM-IV) diagnostic criteria. Life course predictors were obtained between the child's birth and the 14-year follow-up. Results: Of 2,493 young adults, 51.4% reported having ever used cannabis, and 21.1% of young adults were classified as having ever had a cannabis use disorder. Child's gender, changes in maternal marital status, maternal smoking, child school performance, childhood sexual abuse, early adolescence smoking and alcohol consumption, and adolescent aggression/delinquency were strongly associated with young adult cannabis use and use disorder. Exposure to multiple risk factors was associated with greater risk of outcomes. Conclusions: There are a number of strong predictors of cannabis use identified in this study. They suggest that the social context within which children are reared has a major influence on cannabis use and use disorders.

Implicit and explicit affective associations towards cannabis use in patients with recent-onset schizophrenia and healthy controls

Cannabis use is common in patients with recent-onset schizophrenia and this is associated with poor disease outcome. More insight in the cognitive-motivational processes related to cannabis use in schizophrenia may inform treatment strategies. The present study is the first known to compare implicit and explicit cannabis associations in individuals with and without psychotic disorder. Participants consisted of 70 patients with recent-onset psychotic disorder and 61 healthy controls with various levels of cannabis use. Three Single-Category Implicit Association Tests (SC-IAT) were used to assess 'relaxed', 'active' and 'negative' implicit associations towards cannabis use. Explicit expectancies of cannabis use were assessed with a questionnaire using the same words as the SC-IAT. There were no differences in implicit associations between patients and controls; however, patients scored significantly higher on explicit negative affect expectancies than controls. Both groups demonstrated strong negative implicit associations towards cannabis use. Explicit relaxed expectancies were the strongest predictors of cannabis use and craving. There was a trend for implicit active associations to predict craving. The findings indicate that patients suffering from schizophrenia have associations towards cannabis similar to controls, but they have stronger negative explicit cannabis associations. The strong negative implicit associations towards cannabis could imply that users of cannabis engage in a behaviour they do not implicitly like. Explicit relaxing expectancies of cannabis might be an important mediator in the continuation of cannabis use in patients and controls.

Prediction of Cannabis Use Disorder between Boyhood and Young Adulthood: Clarifying the Phenotype and Environtype

Employing a prospective paradigm, this investigation derived the childhood phenotype and the environtype associated with risk for cannabis use disorder. Two hundred and sixteen boys were evaluated between age 10-12 on a comprehensive protocol using self, mother, and teacher reports and followed-up at ages 19 and 22 to determine the presence of cannabis use disorder. The Transmissible Liability Index (TLI) and Non-Transmissible Liability Index (NTLI) were derived using item response theory. Logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of the indexes, singly and in combination, to predict cannabis use disorder. The TLI and NTLI together predicted with 70% and 75% accuracy cannabis use disorder manifest by age 19 and age 22. Sensitivity was 75% at both ages 19 and 22, whereas specificity was respectively 51% and 64%. The findings pertaining to sensitivity indicate that SUD risk for cannabis use disorder can be screened in childhood; however, the specificity scores demonstrate that a low score on the TLI does not inevitably portend a good prognosis up to 10 years later.

Cannabis use and genetic predisposition for schizophrenia: a case-control study

Cannabis use may be a risk factor for schizophrenia. Part of this association may be explained by genotype-environment interaction, and part of it by genotype-environment correlation. The latter issue has not been explored. We investigated whether cannabis use is associated with schizophrenia, and whether gene-environment correlation contributes to this association, by examining the prevalence of cannabis use in groups with different levels of genetic predisposition for schizophrenia. Case-control study of first-episode schizophrenia. Cases included all non-Western immigrants who made first contact with a physician for schizophrenia in The Hague, The Netherlands, between October 2000 and July 2005 (n=100; highest genetic predisposition). Two matched control groups were recruited, one among siblings of the cases (n=63; intermediate genetic predisposition) and one among immigrants who made contact with non-psychiatric secondary health-care services (n=100; lowest genetic predisposition). Conditional logistic regression analyses were used to predict schizophrenia as a function of cannabis use, and cannabis use as a function of genetic predisposition for schizophrenia. Cases had used cannabis significantly more often than their siblings and general hospital controls (59, 21 and 21% respectively). Cannabis use predicted schizophrenia [adjusted odds ratio (OR) cases compared to general hospital controls 7.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.7-22.6; adjusted OR cases compared to siblings 15.9 (95% CI 1.5-167.1)], but genetic predisposition for schizophrenia did not predict cannabis use [adjusted OR intermediate predisposition compared to lowest predisposition 1.2 (95% CI 0.4-3.8)]. Cannabis use was associated with schizophrenia but there was no evidence for genotype-environment correlation.

Prediction of Cannabis Use Disorder Between Childhood and Young Adulthood Using the Child Behavior Checklist

A prospective investigation was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of internalizing and externalizing traits measured at ages 10–12 for predicting a DSM-IV diagnosis of cannabis use disorder manifest by age 22. The sample consisted of 189 boys rated on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) by their biological mothers. The results indicated that externalizing but not internalizing disturbance was a significant predictor of cannabis use disorder. Moreover, a construct capturing their common variance did not predict cannabis use disorder better than externalizing behavior alone.

Contribution des influences parentales et sociales à la consommation de cannabis chez des adolescents scolarisés

Resume Le but de cette etude est d’evaluer la contribution relative de l’influence des pairs et des parents ainsi que celle des attentes du sujet a l’egard de la consommation de cannabis dans un echantillon d’adolescents scolarises. Cinq cent cinquante-neuf participants d’âge moyen 15,4 ans ont rempli un questionnaire evaluant la frequence de consommation du cannabis, le nombre de camarades percus comme opposes a la consommation de cannabis et le nombre de camarades consideres comme consommant du cannabis, la representation qu’avait le sujet de l’opinion des parents sur la consommation de cannabis, les antecedents eventuels de consommation de cannabis par les parents ou leur consommation presente, les attentes du sujet a l’egard de la consommation. Vingt-deux pourcent des filles et 28 % des garcons etaient consommateurs de cannabis. Une analyse de regression logistique predisant la consommation ou la non-consommation de cannabis a montre que nombre de camarades consommateurs, le fait que le pere consommait ou avait consomme, les attentes positives etaient des predicteurs independants de la consommation de cannabis. Le nombre de camarades opposes a la consommation et les attentes negatives etaient des predicteurs independants de la non-consommation. L’opinion des parents et le fait que la mere consommait ou ait consomme du cannabis n’etaient pas des predicteurs significatifs de la consommation ou de la non-consommation. Ces resultats peuvent avoir des implications pour la prevention. La normalisation de la non-consommation par les pairs peut contribuer a l’abstinence. L’absence d’influence des attitudes parentales suggere que la desapprobation parentale de l’usage n’est pas efficace dans la prevention de l’usage tandis que l’exemple de la consommation ou de la non-consommation du pere peut influencer l’usage de cannabis par les adolescents. La faible correlation entre les attentes positives et negatives suggere que les interventions de prevention utilisant la presentation d’informations doivent a la fois viser a reduire les attentes positives et a renforcer les attentes negatives.

Association of Maternal Smoking and Alcohol Consumption with Young Adults' Cannabis Use: A Prospective Study

This 2006 study examined 1) whether maternal use of tobacco and consumption of alcohol when a child is 5 and 14 years of age predict cannabis use in young adults, and 2) whether this association is explained by possible confounding or mediating factors. Data were taken from a prospective birth cohort study of mothers and their children in Brisbane, Australia. This study was based on a cohort of 3,176 young adults who participated at the 21-year follow-up of the study and for whom data were available on maternal smoking and alcohol consumption 5 and 14 years after their birth. After controlling for possible confounders, the authors found that maternal smoking at 14 years was associated with frequent use of cannabis in offspring at 21 years, regardless of maternal smoking at 5 years. Children of mothers who drank more than one glass of alcohol at 5 years and continued at 14 years were more likely to use cannabis in early adulthood. The association between maternal substance use and offspring cannabis use was partially mediated by adolescent externalizing behavior and smoking measured at 14 years. Prevention programs that address maternal and adolescent tobacco use and adolescent externalizing behavior should be considered as strategies to reduce cannabis use by young adults.

Predictors of cannabis use in men with and without psychosis

Background Factors associated with cannabis use among people with psychosis are not well understood. Aims To examine whether people with psychosis and age-matched controls modified cannabis use in response to recent experiences. Method This study predicted 4 weeks of cannabis use prospectively, using expectancies derived from recent occasions of use. Results People with psychosis used cannabis less frequently than controls, but had more cannabis-related problems. More negative cannabis expectancies resulted in less frequent cannabis use over Follow-up. The psychosis group was more likely to moderate cannabis use after negative effects than controls. Conclusions Results offer optimism about abilities of people with psychosis to moderate cannabis use in the short term.

Age and sex differences in factors associated with the onset of cannabis use: a cohort study

Objective To investigate age and sex differences in factors associated with the onset of cannabis use among adolescents. Methods A representative sample of schoolchildren from secondary schools in Barcelona ( n = 1056) was selected and followed-up from the first to the fourth year of secondary education (7–10th grades). The participants completed a self-administered lifestyle questionnaire each year. Multilevel logistic regression models were used for each year and sex to analyse predictors of cannabis use; the second level was adjusted by school. Results Onset of cannabis use during follow-up was associated with a prior history of tobacco smoking [odds ratio (OR) = 7.7 in boys; OR = 3.8 in girls], alcohol consumption (OR = 6.4 in boys; OR = 3.2 in girls), antisocial behavior (OR = 2.8 in boys; OR = 2.2 in girls), intention to use drugs (OR = 3.5 in boys; OR = 4.2 in girls), drug use among friends (OR = 2.5 in boys; OR = 3.7 in girls) and spending leisure time in bars or discos (OR = 2.1 in boys; OR = 3.8 in girls). Moreover, among girls, attending state schools (OR = 2.9), low academic performance (OR = 5.7) and living in a single-parent family (OR = 2.0) also independently predicted cannabis use. Conclusions This study reveals a wide array of predictive factors in cannabis use onset that largely differed by age and sex. The results support the role of tobacco and alcohol, as well as the influence of drug use among friends, and the importance of leisure time patterns as facilitators of cannabis use.

Future time perspective as predictor of cannabis use: Exploring the role of substance perception among French adolescents

This study explored the relation of Future time perspective (FTP) to cannabis use and tested the potential mediating role of cannabis perception, with a sample of 276 French adolescents. FTP was assessed using ZTPI subscale, cannabis perception was evaluated from a list of nine items related to drug-oriented perception (DOP), and participants were asked to report both their cannabis use and the level of use. Results showed that FTP acts as a significant predictor of cannabis use, and is significantly linked to DOP. A significant relationship between DOP and cannabis use also appeared. Regression analyses showed that DOP acts as a mediator in the link between FTP and cannabis use. These findings confirm the protective role of FTP in cannabis use and suggest the indirect nature of this role.

Beyond Treatment Effects: Predicting Emerging Adult Alcohol and Marijuana Use among Substance-Abusing Delinquents.

Secondary analyses of a randomized clinical trial examined the effects of 4 putative risk factors and 2 protective factors in predicting drug use among 80 emerging adults treated 5 years earlier for delinquency and alcohol and/or marijuana use disorders. Frequency of marijuana use and the number of comorbid psychiatric disorders in adolescence predicted cannabis use in emerging adulthood. Increasing academic competence at high levels of social competence predicted less marijuana use. At emerging adulthood, greater use of alcohol and marijuana were associated with both criminality and psychopathology.

Contributions of social influences and psychopathological factors to cannabis use and dependence in high-school students.

To evaluate the relative contributions of peers cannabis use or non use, parental approval of such use, adolescents' own beliefs about use, self-esteem, and depressive and symptoms of borderline personality disorder, in the prediction of cannabis use and dependence. Participants were 257 high-school students who completed questionnaires assessing cannabis use frequency, cannabis dependence, the number of peers using cannabis, the number of peers opposed to cannabis use, parental attitude toward cannabis use, participants' attitude toward use, self-esteem, depressive and borderline symptomatology. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to predict cannabis use, daily use and dependence. The number of peers using cannabis, participants' approval of cannabis use, and the intensity of symptoms of borderline personality disorder were risk factors for use whereas the number of peers opposed to cannabis use was a protective factor. Parental attitudes toward use and participants' depressive symptomatology were not significant independent predictors of use. There were no significant predictors of probable cannabis dependence. To inform adolescents that a significant proportion of them disapprove of cannabis use may be an effective component of prevention of use. Symptoms of borderline personality disorder may account for the association between depression and cannabis use. The social influences and psychopathological factors evaluated in this study did not appear to play a major role in the development of cannabis dependence.

Prospective cohort study of cannabis use, predisposition for psychosis, and psychotic symptoms in young people

Objective To investigate the relation between cannabis use and psychotic symptoms in individuals with above average predisposition for psychosis who first used cannabis during adolescence.Design Analysis of prospective data from...

Modes de consommation, représentations du cannabis et dépendance : étude de 159 adolescents consommateurs

Objective. – To evaluate the connections between the frequency and patterns of cannabis use and dependence, and the beliefs linked to cannabis use in a sample of adolescents. Method. – In 2001, 285 high school students (163 boys, 122 girls ; mean age = 17.5±1.1 years) completed questionnaires assessing the patterns of cannabis use, and the symptoms of dependence and abuse, using a questionnaire derived from the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Cannabis-related beliefs were assessed using the Beliefs Questionnaire for Drug Addiction. Results. – Frequency of subjects who reported having used cannabis during the last year was 65.4% of boys and 42.6% of girls. Among users, 53.6% of boys and 39.3% of girls were regular users, 10.6% of boys and 7.8% of girls being daily users. Almost half of the users reported other means of consumption than “joints”, in particular water-pipes or “bongs” (34.5% of boys, 26.4% of girls). Among users, near of 33% of boys and girls met the criteria for cannabis dependence. Dependence was more frequent in users practicing other means of consumption than “joints”, increasing to 51% for “bong” users. Expectancies of pleasure or relief, and permissive beliefs reflecting the perception of cannabis use as risk free were higher in users and, particularly, in subjects with cannabis dependence. Regression analysis showed that these beliefs were the strongest predictors of cannabis use and dependence. Predictors of use in the total sample were expectancies of pleasure and permissive beliefs, being a male and the age of the subject. Predictors of dependence among users were expectancies of relief, frequency of use, and use of other means of consumption than “joints”. Conclusions. – Cannabis use in adolescents appeared to be characterized by the frequency of use, consumption by means other than “joints” and by the frequency of dependence. Cannabis use and dependence are linked to expectancies and permissive beliefs that could be targeted for prevention and treatment.

Mental health, sensation seeking and drug use patterns: a longitudinal study

To examine the longitudinal stability of mental health and sensation seeking, a sample of 553 adolescents aged 16-18 years, was followed over a period of 20 months. Further, the predictive power of the two constructs with regard to future drug use was investigated. The stability of reported mental health was relatively low. Accordingly, the variable was a poor predictor of future drug use. Sensation seeking, however, had a relatively high degree of stability. In addition, the different subdimensions of the trait were strong predictors of future drug use: 'Disinhibition' (DIS) was a general drug use factor in both sexes. 'Thrill and adventure seeking' (TAS) predicted moderate alcohol consumption in boys. 'Experience seeking' (ES) predicted cannabis use in boys. A separate analysis of those who seek a milieu highly exposed to cannabis, without themselves using the substance, revealed interesting sex differences: the boys in this situation had sensation seeking scores and mental health which were not different from other adolescents. However, the girls had high DIS and ES scores and also poor mental health. Possible interpretations of this finding are discussed.

Cannabis use and alcohol problems among adults and students

Earlier studies have indicated that cannabis use and alcohol problems should be related. This paper reports a test of this hypothesis using multivariate analyses with two separate samples — one adult and one student. In both analyses alcohol problems were the best predictors of cannabis use. The results indicate the need to consider cannabis use to be often part of a larger set of problems around drugs.