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Updated: Sep 7, 2025
Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
Published on: August 18, 2020
Development and initial validation of a reliable German self-report measure to assess acute cannabis
Merle Schüler1, Steffen Moritz2, Thomas Schnell1
1Medical School Hamburg, University of Applied Sciences and Medical University, Hamburg, Germany.
Objectives:
Both positive and negative including psychotic-like cannabis intoxication effects are well-established. Yet, consequences for consumption patterns, addictive behavior or psychotic developments are poorly researched in general, in Germany not at all. Thus, objective was to develop the first German-language questionnaire operationalizing acute cannabis intoxication effects, based on the original "Cannabis Experience Questionnaire" (CEQ).
Methods:
After expert translation of the CEQ, items related to acute intoxication effects were presented to a sample of 537 cannabis users. Four- and five-factorial solutions of explorative factor analysis with a randomly split sub-sample 1 were cross-validated by confirmatory factor analysis on sub-sample 2.
Results:
After content review of factors and analysis of external validity, a 17 item four-factorial model was approved. Factors are (1) "paranoia/dysphoria", (2) "confusion/disorientation", (3) "euphoria/creativity", (4) "psychosis-like/loss of reality". Model fit is satisfactory (RMSEA = 0.058, SRMR = 0.065, CFI = 0.929, TLI = 0.914). Correlations with corresponding external measures support construct validity.
Conclusions:
The present questionnaire is a time-efficient, valid and reliable instrument. Thus, predictors of different cannabis intoxication effects can be analysed for the first time in German-speaking area, as well as their significance for substance use or psychosis risk.
