Cannabis use has increased in many areas of the world, with young adult demographics consistently consuming more of the substance than other demographics. While the short-term effects of cannabis use are relatively well-documented, long term-effects and consequences of use are rather unestablished. In predicting cannabis use, behavioral health researchers have suggested several different contributing factors related to individual predispositions, personality, social environments, accessibility, etc. In the same scope, the use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) has often been associated with mitigation of cannabis use. This study aims to identify relationships between the use of PBS, Big Five personality scores, and cannabis use across five different nations.
The study’s sample is composed of 1175 undergraduate students from the following five countries: Argentina, the Netherlands, Uruguay, Spain, and the United States (64.5% female). Eligibility criteria included current university enrollment and reported past-month cannabis use. Participants completed surveys which assessed the following measures: personality traits (via Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire), use of cannabis PBS (via Protective Behavioral Strategies for Marijuana Scale), cannabis use (via Marijuana Use Grid), and cannabis consequences (via Brief Marijuana Consequences Questionnaire). All surveys were appropriately translated according to each participant’s preferred language. Data analysis was completed using bivariate correlations, fully saturated path modelling to test for mediating effects.
Results of the analysis found the following personality traits to be positively associated with cannabis PBS use: conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Cannabis PBS use was associated with decreased cannabis use frequency and decreased experiences of cannabis consequence.
Takeaway: certain personality traits may be associated with use of cannabis protective behavioral strategies in university students. Interventions designed to treat cannabis use may benefit from accounting for student’s personality traits when designing programs.