PTSD Symptom Severity, Cannabis, and Gender: A Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial Regression Model

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
• Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• Trauma exposure is prevalent in college students, increasing risk for substance use disorder (SUD).
• College students often use cannabis to manage stress and negative emotions.
• The relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity and cannabis use in this population remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between PTSD symptom severity and cannabis use among college students.
• To explore whether gender moderates the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and cannabis use.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey design was employed with 536 college students (68% female).
• Zero-inflated negative binomial regression was utilized due to excessive zero values in cannabis use data.
• Exploratory, non-directional analyses examined PTSD symptom severity, cannabis use, and gender interactions.

Main Results:

• Gender significantly predicted the number of days cannabis was used (IRR = 2.17, p < .001).
• Gender moderated the probability of being a cannabis user (OR = 0.96, p = .026).
• Specifically, increased PTSD symptom severity was associated with a higher likelihood of cannabis use in males, but not in females.

Conclusions:

• Findings suggest a gender-specific relationship between PTSD symptom severity and cannabis use in college students.
• The self-medication hypothesis may explain these gender differences, potentially involving the endocannabinoid system, social norms, and motives.
• Further research is warranted to understand and address gender disparities in trauma-related cannabis use.