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Addictive Behaviors

(PS1-49) The Effects of Coping Strategies, Sex Influence, and MPBS Usage on College Marijuana Consumption

Friday, November 15, 2024
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM EST
Location: Franklin Hall, Level 4, Marriott Downtown
Abstract Text: Individual coping styles are related to marijuana use. Adaptive coping strategies have been shown to be protective against marijuana use, whereas maladaptive strategies confer risk. Additionally, those who engage in maladaptive coping are less likely to use marijuana-protective behavioral strategies (MPBS; behaviors employed to reduce marijuana-related harm). While coping strategies in general have been linked to marijuana use, less is known regarding the role of specific coping methods on MPBS use and marijuana-related problems. Prior research has yet to explore MPBS as a mediator of coping style and marijuana use among college students, a population particularly susceptible to negative marijuana-related outcomes. Furthermore, while males are at greater risk for marijuana outcomes, research has not examined if sex moderates these pathways. Consequently, this study investigated the mediating role of MPBS use on the link between coping style and marijuana problems, while examining sex as a moderator. It was predicted that 1) greater avoidant coping would be linked to greater marijuana use problems indirectly via MPBS, 2) greater problem-focused coping would be linked to fewer marijuana use problems via MPBS, and 3) both mediations would be moderated by sex, such that being male would strengthen the associations.

Methods: Participants were 2508 college students (Mage = 21.94, SD = 1.95; 73.8% female, 41.3% white). Participants completed a self-report survey assessing frequency of MPBS use, marijuana problems, and coping strategies.

Results: Analyses were conducted using SPSS v28.0 and PROCESS Macro. Past-month marijuana use frequency was included as a covariate in all analyses. All confidence interval estimates were bootstrapped. For aim 1, MPBS use did not mediate the link between avoidant coping and marijuana problems. However, a direct effect of avoidant coping predicting marijuana problems emerged, (B = 2.08, t = 12.02, p < .001). For aim 2, MPBS use mediated the negative association between problem-focused coping and marijuana problems, (B = -.049, SE = .022, 95% CI [-.10, -.01]). Sex did not moderate either model. Conclusions: Results of the present study suggest that problem-focused coping may be related to fewer marijuana problems, possibly due to increased use of MPBS. However, findings suggest that the link between avoidant coping and marijuana problems may not be amenable by increasing MPBS use. In addition, sex did not emerge as a relevant factor, suggesting that the process by which coping impacts use may be similar between college men and women. In general, findings suggest that interventions targeting marijuana harm reduction in college students may benefit from increasing MPBS use among those with problem-focused coping in particular.