What were you thinking? Relations between cannabis expectancies and use behavior depend upon self-attributed modality...

Self-report is the most common way to measure substance use expectancies. Using such measures has led to insights regarding how, why, and for whom expectancies relate to use behavior. In fact, such insights have translated into interventions, such as expectancy challenges seeking to change one's expectancies. However, expectancy measures may be tricky for cannabis use, which has several product types and modalities that may impact the introspection of self-reported cannabis experiences. This study assessed whether a modern expectancies measure was invariant across cannabis use type/modality self-reported upon and whether cannabis type/modality moderated the influence of expectancies on use behavior. Young adults who recreationally used cannabis (N = 387) reported their cannabis use frequency and expectancies via the Anticipated Effects of Cannabis Scale. Participants also reported cannabis modality/type through which expectancies were self-reported upon. Each expectancy domain (high arousal negative, low arousal negative, positive) was invariant across cannabis type/modality. High arousal negative expectancies were higher when reporting vaping versus smoking, and positive expectancies were higher when reporting smoking versus vaping, but no other differences emerged. However, positive expectancies were associated with more frequent cannabis use when reporting on smoked (vs. vaporized) cannabis, and high arousal negative expectancies were associated with less frequent cannabis use when reporting on hash oil (vs. marijuana) and when reporting on vaporized (vs. smoked) cannabis. Cannabis type and modality may be important qualifiers in self-report research on cannabis expectancies. Future research should consider assessing modality- and type-specific cannabis constructs that are susceptible to such influences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).