(PS1-71) Sleep Problems and Cannabis Use in College Students with ADHD

Background: College students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at an increased risk of cannabis use and are vulnerable to experiencing problems related to their use. The motivational factors driving cannabis use vary among college students and warrant further exploration in students with ADHD. Prior studies found that sleep serves as a potent motivator for cannabis use. Moreover, insomnia commonly co-occurs in individuals with ADHD, regardless of their medication status. However, it is unclear what role sleep plays in the relation between ADHD and cannabis use among college students. Thus, this study examined whether ADHD diagnosis impacts cannabis use (i.e., lifetime cannabis use; concern related to cannabis use) and whether sleep problems (i.e., time to fall asleep; insomnia) moderate this relation.

Methods: Participants included 1062 college students with and without ADHD (M_age = 26.51; 74.8% White) at the University of South Carolina who participated in the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment in the Spring 2023 semester. Data on a wide range of health and wellness issues were collected via an online survey, including questions related to ADHD, sleep, and cannabis use.

Results: Approximately 14.4% (n = 153) of students in our sample reported receiving an ADHD diagnosis, while 44.7% (n = 475) endorsed using cannabis at least once. A comparison of means indicated that students with ADHD who have used cannabis within the past three months were twice as likely to use cannabis every day compared to students without ADHD. Linear regressions showed that ADHD diagnosis was significantly associated with higher lifetime cannabis use and concern related to cannabis use. Additionally, ADHD diagnosis was significantly associated with longer time to fall asleep and a higher likelihood of insomnia. However, sleep problems did not moderate the relation between ADHD diagnosis and cannabis use. Discussion: The significant relationship between ADHD diagnosis and both sleep problems and cannabis use highlights the importance of addressing sleep problems and substance use in individuals with ADHD within college settings, which has important implications for targeted intervention. Further research is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms underlying this multifaceted relationship.