title: Cannabis use expectancies mediate the relation between depressive symptoms and cannabis use among cannabis-dependent veterans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current study examined the cross-sectional associations between depressive symptoms and cannabis use, and the mediating role of positive and negative expectancies of cannabis use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (n = 100) were cannabis-dependent veterans recruited as part of a larger self-guided cannabis quit study. Baseline (prequit) data were used. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the General Depression subscale of the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS), and cannabis use expectancies were assessed using the Marijuana Effect Expectancies Questionnaire. Quantity of cannabis use in the past 90 days was assessed with the Timeline Follow-Back.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A parallel multiple mediation path analysis was conducted to simultaneously examine the effects of positive and negative expectancies as mediators of the relation between IDAS-Depression and prequit cannabis use. Results indicated that depressive symptoms were indirectly related to cannabis use through positive, but not negative, expectancies. This effect was unique to IDAS-Dysphoria symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depressive symptoms, particularly cognitive-affective symptom features, may be important to consider in better understanding positive cannabis effect expectancies among veterans in regard to cannabis use.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Psychology (SGF, MJZ), University of Houston, Houston, TX; Department of Behavioral Sciences (MJZ), University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Center for Health Care Evaluation (MTB, MOBM), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA; Center of Excellence in Substance Abuse Treatment and Education (MOBM), Philadelphia VAMC National Center for PTSD, Philadelphia, PA; and Department of Psychiatry (MOBM), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: Samantha G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Farris
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zvolensky
authors.forename: Matthew Tyler
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Boden
authors.forename: Marcel O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Bonn-Miller
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data