Validation of cocaine and marijuana effect expectancies in a treatment setting

This study sought to establish the validity of the Cocaine Effect Expectancy Questionnaire (CEEQ), and the Marijuana Effect Expectancy Questionnaire (MEEQ) in discriminating between patterns of drug use in a clinical population. Prior research with these questionnaires has involved primarily nonclinical samples. Expectancy literature has yielded ambiguous results in demonstrating the role of both positive and negative expectancies in regards to drug use patterns. The sample consisted of 149 males on an inpatient V.A. substance abuse unit. On the CEEQ, cocaine users, particularly frequent users, endorsed fewer global positive cocaine expectancies than infrequent or nonusers. Present-infrequent users endorsed greater arousal effects than either present-frequent or nonusers. Nonusers of cocaine endorsed greater relaxation than present users. On the MEEQ, nonusers expected more negative effects from marijuana than users. Present users expected greater relaxation and craving effects than past users or nonusers. These results indicate different roles for positive and negative expectancies in cocaine and marijuana use.