title: Treatment seeking in cannabis dependence: The role of social cognition.
abstract: Relatively few cannabis dependent individuals seek treatment and little is known about the determinants of treatment seeking. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) provides a useful framework for examining human behaviour and motivation which may be helpful in explaining treatment seeking. This study examined the differences in cannabis outcome expectancies and cannabis refusal self-efficacy between treatment seekers and non-treatment seekers with cannabis dependence.
  
  
  
  Non-treatment seekers were referred to an illicit drug diversion program. Treatment seekers commenced an outpatient cannabis treatment program and completed a comprehensive assessment that included measures of cannabis outcome expectancies and refusal self-efficacy.
  
  
  
  A public hospital alcohol and drug outpatient clinic.
  
  
  
  269 non-treatment seekers and 195 individuals commencing cannabis dependence treatment.
  
  
  
  The Cannabis Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ), Cannabis Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (CRSEQ), Severity of Dependence Scale - Cannabis (SDS-C), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RTC) were completed.
  
  
  
  Treatment seekers had significantly higher levels of negative cannabis outcome expectancies and significantly lower levels of emotional relief refusal self-efficacy (belief in ability to resist using cannabis when experiencing negative affect) (ps<0.001). Treatment seekers had significantly higher levels of psychological distress and self-perceived cannabis dependence compared to non-treatment seekers (ps<0.001).
  
  
  
  High negative cannabis outcome expectancies and low emotional relief refusal self-efficacy may play a key role in motivation to seek treatment.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia; School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia.
authors.forename: Zoe E
authors.initials: ZE
authors.lastname: Papinczak
authors.affiliation: Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia; Alcohol and Drug Assessment Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia.
authors.forename: Jason P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.affiliation: Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia; Alcohol and Drug Assessment Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia.
authors.forename: Gerald F X
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Feeney
authors.affiliation: Alcohol and Drug Assessment Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia; Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia.
authors.forename: Ross McD
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia; Alcohol and Drug Assessment Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia. Electronic address: m.gullo@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gullo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D009042:Motivation; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Cannabis; Cannabis dependence; Expectancies; Self-efficacy; Treatment initiation; Treatment seeking