title: Mediating processes between stress and problematic marijuana use.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The literature widely reports that stress is associated with marijuana use, yet, to date, the path from stress to marijuana-related problems has not been tested. In this study, we evaluated whether negative affect mediates the relationship between stress and marijuana use.
  
  
  METHODS
  To that end, we tested models to determine mediators between problems with marijuana use (via Marijuana Problem Scale), stress (via Early Life Stress Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale), and negative affect (via Beck Depression Inventory; Beck Anxiety Inventory) in 157 current heavy marijuana users. Mediation tests and bootstrap confidence intervals were carried out via the "Mediation" package in R.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Depression and anxiety scores both significantly mediated the relationship between perceived stress and problematic marijuana use. Only depression significantly mediated the relationship between early life stress and problematic marijuana use. Early life stress, perceived stress and problematic marijuana use were significant only as independent variables and dependent variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings demonstrate that (1) depression mediated both early life stress and perceived stress, and problematic marijuana use, and, (2) anxiety mediated perceived stress and problematic marijuana use. This mediation analysis represents a strong first step toward understanding the relationship between these variables; however, longitudinal studies are needed to determine causality between these variables. To conclude, addressing concomitant depression and anxiety in those who report either perceived stress or early life stress is important for the prevention of cannabis use disorders.
authors: The Center for BrainHealth, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 2200 W. Mockingbird Ln., Dallas, TX 75235, USA.
authors: Ariel
authors: A
authors: Ketcherside
authors: The Center for BrainHealth, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 2200 W. Mockingbird Ln., Dallas, TX 75235, USA. Electronic address: Francesca.Filbey@utdallas.edu.
authors: Francesca M
authors: FM
authors: Filbey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000069586:Adult Survivors of Child Adverse Events / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Cannabis; Depression; Early life stress; Negative affect; Perceived stress