ADHD and Cannabis Use in College Students
Examining Indirect Effects of Coping Motives
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21645174 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Daria Taubin (0009-0002-8440-2914, University of Maryland, College Park, corresponding author), Lauren E Oddo (0000-0003-0773-9644, University of Maryland, College Park), Nadia Bounoua (0000-0001-9310-3049, University of Maryland, College Park), Hong N T Bui (0000-0002-8782-0129, University of Maryland, College Park), James G Murphy (0000-0001-9378-8754, University of Memphis), Andrea Chronis‐tuscano (0000-0001-9173-0073, University of Maryland, College Park), Andrea Chronis-Tuscano (University of Maryland, College Park) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 60 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 1181-1191 |
| Publication date | 2025-07-03 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Substance Use & Misuse (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1082-6084 • E-ISSN: 1532-2491 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10826084.2025.2491770 |
| PMID | 40257222 |
| OpenAlex | W4409625585 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 80 |
Background: ADHD is a developmental risk factor for cannabis misuse and cannabis use disorder. Individuals with ADHD also struggle to cope with negative affect and are more likely to engage in potentially maladaptive, avoidant coping behaviors. Such responses may be particularly salient in college, a developmental period characterized by increased stress and autonomy and easy access to highly reinforcing substances. However, despite this increased risk, little is known about mechanisms underlying the association between ADHD and cannabis use among college students. Objectives: This two-week daily diary study examined associations between ADHD, baseline coping motives (i.e., using cannabis to avoid or reduce negative affect), and frequency of cannabis use in a sample of heavy-drinking college students (49% female) with (n=42) and without (n=30) ADHD. Results: Results showed that ADHD was significantly associated with elevated coping motives at baseline and more cannabis use days on daily diaries. Additionally, there was a significant indirect effect of ADHD on number of cannabis use days through baseline coping motives; students with ADHD endorsed a stronger drive to use cannabis to cope with negative emotions, which in turn was associated with more cannabis use days. Conclusions: Findings align with theory linking ADHD to increased vulnerability for avoidant coping behaviors. Further work may explore the potential of targeted, proactive interventions to help college students with ADHD build and utilize adaptive substance-free coping skills, particularly during this challenging developmental period
Cannabis · Coping behavior · Psychiatry · Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Psychology · Social Psychology · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Social determinants of alcohol consumption
Effects of Covid-19 on College Students’ Mental Health in the United States
Validating a five-factor marijuana motives measure
Motivations for alcohol use among adolescents
The Covid-19 pandemic and mental health of first-year college students
Adverse Health Effects of Marijuana Use
Academic Stress and Mental Well-Being in College Students
Development and validation of a three-dimensional measure of drinking motives.
Sources of Stress and Their Associations With Mental Disorders Among College Students
Marijuana motives
Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms, Perceived Stress, and Resilience in College Students
Coping Motives Mediate the Association of Trauma History with Problematic Cannabis Use in Young Adult Medical Cannabis Patients and Non-Patient Cannabis Users
The Problem of Units and the Circumstance for Pomp
Drinking Motives Mediate the Relation between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Alcohol-Related Problems among College Students
The cost of minority stress
| Highly cited | No |
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