Distress tolerance and cessation-related cannabis processes: The role of cannabis use coping motives. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peraza, Natalia; Smit, Tanya; Garey, Lorra; Manning, Kara; Buckner, Julia D.; Zvolensky, Michael J.
• Is Part Of: Addictive behaviors. Volume 90(2019)
• Page Start: 164
• Page End: 170
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Cannabis -- Marijuana -- Distress tolerance -- Coping motives -- Drug use; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Drug addiction -- Periodicals; Nicotine addiction -- Periodicals; Smoking -- Periodicals; Gambling -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 362.29
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.10.047
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4603

Abstract

Abstract: Robust evidence implicates perceived distress tolerance as a risk factor for maladaptive cannabis use and poorer cannabis cessation outcomes. Past work suggests that perceived distress tolerance may be related to an array of clinically-relevant cannabis processes and outcomes via cannabis coping motives. Although promising, the generalizability of this work to racially/ethnically diverse samples of adult cannabis users is unknown. Additionally, investigation into alternative cannabis processes has been limited and has not controlled for the effects of other cannabis motives. Thus, the present study investigated cannabis coping motives as an explanatory variable for the relation between perceived distress tolerance and cannabis use processes that may impede cessation (e.g., cannabis use cravings, perceived barriers to cannabis cessation, and withdrawal symptoms) among an ethnically diverse sample of current cannabis using adults. Participants included 131 adult cannabis users ( M age = 36.67 years; 29.8% female; 59.2% Black, 26.2% White, 16.0% Hispanic). Results indicated that perceived distress tolerance was indirectly associated with all criterion variables through cannabis coping motives after controlling for the variance attributable to four other motives. The current study builds upon previous theoretically-supported work by examining these models among an ethnically diverse sample of current cannabis using adults and testing alternative cessation-related cannabis processes while controlling for the independent effects of four other cannabis motives. Highlights: Coping motives was examined in relation to distress tolerance and cannabis processes. Distress tolerance related to cannabis-related processes through coping motives. Lower distress tolerance related to more cannabis use to cope with negative mood. Using cannabis to cope with distress contributed to maladaptive cannabis outcomes. Distress tolerance and coping motives may be useful to target in cannabis treatment.