Increasing rates of cannabis use in the United States have prompted a demand in research concerning the various effects and influences of the practice. The acute effects of cannabis consumption have been well-documented over time, while research concerning chronic consumption is continuing to develop. The socio-behavioral aspects of cannabis use are believed to evolve as legislative policy and substance accessibility measures have proliferated on a state-by-state basis. However, behavioral health researchers have often posited individual beliefs and traits may play a role in predicting cannabis use outcomes. This study examines the relationship between cannabis perceptions and impulsivity measures on cannabis use in a an internationally based sample of college students.
The study’s sample is composed of 1,175 university students from five different countries who were enrolled in an ongoing international mental health study led by Bravo et al. (2019). The five-country sample breakdown is as follows: the United States (n=698), Argentina (n=153), Spain (n=178), Uruguay (n=79), and the Netherlands (n=67). Eligibility criteria included current university enrollment and reporting past-month cannabis use. The following measures were assessed via an online survey platform: demographics, negative cannabis consequences (via Brief Marijuana Consequences Questionnaire), cannabis use (via Marijuana Use Grid), cannabis perceived norms (via Marijuana Norms Grid), and impulsivity (via UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale). The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and fully saturated path model analysis.
Results of the analysis found cannabis use frequency to be positively associated with cannabis consequences. Additionally, increased endorsement of internal cannabis norms was related to increased measures of positive urgency (e.g., not acting proactively while simultaneously experiencing positive affect), leading to increased cannabis use and thus consequences. Similarly, increased sensation seeking was linked to increased endorsement of injunctive norms (beliefs concerning the perceived approval of cannabis), leading to the same outcomes: greater cannabis use and consequences.
Takeaway: assessment of impulsivity in college students may serve as a helpful measure when identifying individuals at-risk of developing substance use problems. This study suggests some elevated measures of impulsivity are associated with increased cannabis use and consequences in university students.