1 - (SYM 24) Romantic Conflict and Coping-motivated Cannabis Use: An Actor-partner Interdependence Serial Mediation Model

Background: Romantic conflict is a risk factor for emotional disorders (i.e., anxiety and depression) and cannabis use. Coping motives may contribute to this link. Previous research has supported components of a serial mediation pathway (romantic conflict to substance use via emotional disorder symptoms and, in turn, coping motives), but has yet to examine the full pathway with cannabis. Moreover, prior research has oversampled young adults and has yet to examine how this might operate in a sample where both partners use the substance. This study is the first to overcome these limitations of the extant literature.

Methods: Data from 184 couples in which both members used cannabis were drawn from a larger dyadic study. All participants (mean age=37.98 years, SD=6.90 years), completed validated measures via an online survey to assess dyadic conflict (Partner Specific Rejecting Behaviours; PSRB; reports averaged), emotional disorder symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire – Anxiety and Depression Scale; PHQ-ADS), cannabis coping motives (Brief Cannabis Motives Measure; BCAMM), and cannabis use frequency and quantity (Daily Sessions, Frequency, Age of Onset, and Quantity of Cannabis Use Inventory; DFAQ-CU). Two actor-partner interdependence serial mediation models were run, one including couples (indistinguishable dyads) and one including only opposite-gendered couples (distinguished by gender; n = 133 couples).

Results: The hypothesized serial mediation pathway via actor effects was supported for the indistinguishable dyads model and in the distinguishable model for women, but not for men. Partner effects were also detected: dyadic conflict was associated with partner cannabis use through actor emotional disorder symptoms and, in turn, actor coping motives. Interestingly, the gendered model explained more variance in cannabis use than the indistinguishable dyads model.

Conclusions: Results support emotional disorder symptoms and coping motives as one mechanism by which romantic conflict exerts risk for cannabis use, particularly for women. Partners appear to influence each other’s cannabis use in the context of romantic conflict. Serial mediation findings point to the importance of managing anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as coping motives in cannabis-using couples experiencing conflict to reduce overall cannabis use; targeting these mediators may be especially important in managing cannabis use in women. Partner effects highlight the importance of couples-based (vs. individual) approaches to intervention.