Testing the biosocial cognitive model of substance use in cannabis users referred to treatment

• Published in: Drug and alcohol dependence 2019-01, Vol.194, p.216-224
• Main Authors: Papinczak, Zoë E., Connor, Jason P., Feeney, Gerald F.X., Harnett, Paul, Young, Ross McD, Gullo, Matthew J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcohol; Alcohol use; Alcohols; Cannabis; Clinical assessment; Cognition; Cognitive ability; Cognitive models; Data processing; Dependence; Drug abuse; Effectiveness; Expectancies; Expectancy; Impulsive behavior; Impulsivity; Marijuana; Mathematical models; Medical treatment; Questionnaires; Refusal; Reinforcement; Self-efficacy; Sensitivity; Severity; Social cognition; Social interactions; Substance abuse; Substance use
• ISSN: 0376-8716; 1879-0046
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.09.032

•Impulsivity associated with cannabis use and dependence via social cognition.•Reward sensitivity associated with cannabis outcomes via positive expectancies.•Rash impulsiveness associated with cannabis outcomes via refusal self-efficacy.•Targeting social cognition may reduce risk conveyed by an impulsive personality. Background: The bioSocial Cognitive Theory (bSCT) hypothesizes two pathways linking dimensions of impulsivity to substance use. The first predicts that the association between reward sensitivity and substance use is mediated by positive outcome expectancies. The second predicts that the relationship between rash impulsiveness and substance use is mediated by refusal self-efficacy. This model has received empirical support in studies of alcohol use. The present research provides the first application of bSCT to a cannabis treatment population and aims to extend its utility to understanding cannabis use and severity of dependence. Design: 273 patients referred for cannabis treatment completed a clinical assessment that contained measures of interest. Setting: A public hospital alcohol and drug clinic. Measurements: The Sensitivity to Reward Scale, Dysfunctional Impulsivity Scale, Cannabis Expectancy Questionnaire, Cannabis Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and Severity of Dependence Scale–Cannabis were completed, along with measures of cannabis consumption. Findings: The bSCT model provided a good fit to the data for cannabis use and severity of dependence outcomes. The association between reward sensitivity and each cannabis outcome was fully mediated by positive cannabis expectancies and cannabis refusal self-efficacy. The relationship between rash impulsiveness and each cannabis outcome was fully mediated by cannabis refusal self-efficacy. Conclusions: Findings support the application of the bSCT model to cannabis use and dependence severity and highlight the important role of social cognitive mechanisms in understanding the association between impulsivity traits and these outcomes. The differential association of impulsivity traits to social cognition may assist targeted treatment efforts.