Individual Differences in Substance Use Motives, Trauma, and Stress Among College-Based Polysubstance Users

Overview

Journal Subst Use Misuse

Publisher Informa Healthcare

Date 2024 Mar 28

PMID 38544304

Authors

N Jaume-Feliciosi

C E Benca-Bachman

E Holliday

R H Palmer

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

: Co-use of alcohol and other drugs within a certain time frame (i.e., polysubstance use) has become increasingly prevalent, particularly among college-aged individuals, but understanding motives for co-use remains limited. Polysubstance use has been associated with a higher likelihood of negative health consequences as compared to single substance use. : The current study examined associations between motivations for using alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis among college students who use multiple substances versus students using only one substance or no substances. Additionally, we examined the effect of trauma and daily stress on polysubstance use in self-report data from individuals (N=134) participating in the MAPme Study. : First, the observed prevalence of polysubstance use was greater than expected by chance, with most individuals co-using alcohol and cannabis. "Alcohol and Other Drug Users" were more frequently motivated to drink for social (β=0.27, CI=[0.07, 0.44]), enhancement (β=0.26, CI=[0.01, 0.42]) and coping (β=0.21, CI=[0.06, 0.47]) reasons compared to individuals who consumed alcohol alone. : Individual differences in motivations for use were partly explained by frequency of alcohol use and alcohol problem severity, but not by history of trauma or stress. Finally, while patterns of correlations among motivations for use across substances suggested a general tendency to be motivated to use substances for similar reasons, this was not supported by confirmatory factor models. Overall, shared motives may inform potential behavioral patterns for co-use of substances during college and might advise future treatment efforts.

References

Anda R, Felitti V, Douglas Bremner J, Walker J, Whitfield C, Perry B . The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood. A convergence of evidence from neurobiology and epidemiology. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2005; 256(3):174-86. PMC: 3232061. DOI: 10.1007/s00406-005-0624-4. View

GRUNBERG L, Moore S, Greenberg E . Work stress and self-reported alcohol use: the moderating role of escapist reasons for drinking. J Occup Health Psychol. 1999; 4(1):29-36. DOI: 10.1037//1076-8998.4.1.29. View

McNeely J, Strauss S, Wright S, Rotrosen J, Khan R, Lee J . Test-retest reliability of a self-administered Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) in primary care patients. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2014; 47(1):93-101. PMC: 4035183. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2014.01.007. View

Henderson M, Galen L . A classification of substance-dependent men on temperament and severity variables. Addict Behav. 2003; 28(4):741-60. DOI: 10.1016/s0306-4603(01)00269-6. View

Conway K, Vullo G, Nichter B, Wang J, Compton W, Iannotti R . Prevalence and patterns of polysubstance use in a nationally representative sample of 10th graders in the United States. J Adolesc Health. 2013; 52(6):716-23. PMC: 3746553. DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.12.006. View

OHara R, Boynton M, Scott D, Armeli S, Tennen H, Williams C . Drinking to cope among African American college students: an assessment of episode-specific motives. Psychol Addict Behav. 2014; 28(3):671-81. PMC: 4261620. DOI: 10.1037/a0036303. View

Shrier L, Scherer E . It depends on when you ask: motives for using marijuana assessed before versus after a marijuana use event. Addict Behav. 2014; 39(12):1759-65. PMC: 4164570. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.07.018. View

Dawson D, Grant B, Li T . Impact of age at first drink on stress-reactive drinking. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007; 31(1):69-77. DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2006.00265.x. View

Cerbone F, Larison C . A bibliographic essay: the relationship between stress and substance use. Subst Use Misuse. 2000; 35(5):757-86. DOI: 10.3109/10826080009148420. View

10.

Palmer R, Button T, Rhee S, Corley R, Young S, Stallings M . Genetic etiology of the common liability to drug dependence: evidence of common and specific mechanisms for DSM-IV dependence symptoms. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2012; 123 Suppl 1:S24-32. PMC: 3342475. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.12.015. View

11.

Cox W, Klinger E . A motivational model of alcohol use. J Abnorm Psychol. 1988; 97(2):168-80. DOI: 10.1037//0021-843x.97.2.168. View

12.

Holahan C, MOOS R, Holahan C, Cronkite R, Randall P . Drinking to cope, emotional distress and alcohol use and abuse: a ten-year model. J Stud Alcohol. 2001; 62(2):190-8. DOI: 10.15288/jsa.2001.62.190. View

13.

MOOS R, Brennan P, Fondacaro M, Moos B . Approach and avoidance coping responses among older problem and nonproblem drinkers. Psychol Aging. 1990; 5(1):31-40. DOI: 10.1037//0882-7974.5.1.31. View

14.

Kessler R, Sonnega A, Bromet E, Hughes M, Nelson C . Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995; 52(12):1048-60. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.1995.03950240066012. View

15.

Read J, Kahler C, Strong D, Colder C . Development and preliminary validation of the young adult alcohol consequences questionnaire. J Stud Alcohol. 2006; 67(1):169-77. DOI: 10.15288/jsa.2006.67.169. View

16.

Crummy E, ONeal T, Baskin B, Ferguson S . One Is Not Enough: Understanding and Modeling Polysubstance Use. Front Neurosci. 2020; 14:569. PMC: 7309369. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00569. View

17.

Kuntsche E, Knibbe R, Gmel G, Engels R . Who drinks and why? A review of socio-demographic, personality, and contextual issues behind the drinking motives in young people. Addict Behav. 2006; 31(10):1844-57. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2005.12.028. View

18.

MacLean M, Lecci L . A comparison of models of drinking motives in a university sample. Psychol Addict Behav. 2000; 14(1):83-7. DOI: 10.1037//0893-164x.14.1.83. View

19.

Pedersen E, Tucker J, Davis J, Dunbar M, Seelam R, Rodriguez A . Tobacco/nicotine and marijuana co-use motives in young adults: Associations with substance use behaviors one year later. Psychol Addict Behav. 2020; 35(2):133-147. PMC: 7746603. DOI: 10.1037/adb0000638. View

20.

Tavolacci M, Ladner J, Grigioni S, Richard L, Villet H, Dechelotte P . Prevalence and association of perceived stress, substance use and behavioral addictions: a cross-sectional study among university students in France, 2009-2011. BMC Public Health. 2013; 13:724. PMC: 3750571. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-724. View