Personality, marijuana norms, and marijuana outcomes among college students

Matthew R. Pearson, John T.P. Hustad, Clayton Neighbors, Bradley T. Conner, Adrian J. Bravo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

Based on the high prevalence of marijuana use among college students, we examined distal and proximal antecedents to marijuana-related outcomes in this population. Specifically, we examined three marijuana-related perceptions (descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and internalization of college marijuana use culture) as potential mediators of the associations between four personality traits (impulsivity, sensation seeking, hopelessness, and anxiety sensitivity) and marijuana-related outcomes (marijuana use, negative marijuana-related consequences). In a large sample of college student marijuana users (n = 2129), our path analysis revealed marijuana-related perceptions to significantly mediate the associations between personality and marijuana-related outcomes. Specifically, internalization of college marijuana use culture mediated the effects of both impulsivity and sensation seeking on marijuana-related outcomes. Not only do our findings suggest the importance of distinct types of marijuana-related norms in predicting marijuana involvement, but also the possibility that such normative beliefs could be targeted as part of personality-tailored interventions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)291-297
Number of pages7
JournalAddictive Behaviors
Volume76
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2018

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Toxicology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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