Anxiety Sensitivity and Coping-Oriented Cannabis Use: The Moderating Role of Positive Cannabis Expectancies

Coping-oriented cannabis use is a robust predictor of hazardous cannabis use. Anxiety sensitivity (AS), the fear of anxiety-related sensations, may be a risk factor for coping-oriented cannabis use, however, findings are mixed in prior literature. The current study aimed to clarify inconsistent research by incorporating the role of positive cannabis expectancies, such as belief that cannabis use results in relaxation or positive social outcomes, in the association between AS, its subfactors, and coping-oriented cannabis use.

Undergraduates (n = 232) reporting past-six-month cannabis use completed cross-sectional online self-report measures. Four moderation models were tested with PROCESS macro for SPSS.

The interaction of AS and positive cannabis expectancies was significant, such that AS and coping-oriented cannabis use was stronger at high versus low levels of positive cannabis expectancies. Similar patterns emerged for AS cognitive and social, but not physical, concerns.

Individuals with elevated AS, particularly cognitive and social concerns, may be at risk for increased coping-oriented cannabis use when they also have higher positive expectancies. Considering how other variables, including positive cannabis expectancies, affect associations between AS and coping motives may help to explain previous discrepant findings on associations between AS and cannabis use. Future work should replicate methods among other, diverse populations and consider alternative measures of cannabis expectancies. Pending future research, AS may be important to assess and target among individuals who use cannabis and endorse positive cannabis expectancies.