title: Perceived safety and controllability of events: Markers of risk for marijuana use in young adults?
abstract: Drawing on constructs from the trauma literature, the current study evaluated perceptions of safety and controllability of events as potential markers of risk for marijuana use. In addition, we characterized these perceptions in relation to individual level substance abuse risk factors (marijuana expectancies, impulsivity, depression, and anxiety), gender, and race. Data were collected via web survey from college students at two northeastern universities (n=228, 82.0% female). Controllability of events (CE) was rated significantly higher by Blacks than Whites. Safety/vulnerability (SV) and CE were associated with impulsivity, depression, and anxiety. CE was also associated with marijuana expectancies. Logistic regression analyses revealed a modest but significant association between SV and lifetime use even after adjusting for race, gender, age, and individual level substance abuse risk factors (odds ratio=1.10, 95% confidence intervals:1.02-1.18). No association between SV and past 3month frequency of use or between CE and either marijuana outcome was found. Findings support a link between perceptions of safety and ever using marijuana. They further demonstrate overlap of both perceived safety and controllability of events with substance use related risk factors, and suggest that they differ by race. Additional studies that assess substance use more broadly and query trauma history, using larger, more diverse samples, are needed to more fully grasp the relevance of these constructs to substance use, including their potential as targets for substance abuse prevention efforts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. Electronic address: carolyn.sartor@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Carolyn E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Sartor
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ecker
authors.affiliation: VISN 1 MIRECC, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Bedford, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Shane W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Leeman
authors.affiliation: Simmons College, Department of Psychology, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Kristin N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Dukes
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Dawn W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D059031:Anticipation, Psychological; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D000074609:Marijuana Use / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D009511:New England / Q000453:epidemiology; D010465:Perception; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Impulsivity; Marijuana use; Marijuana use expectancies; World assumptions