Risk Seeking Moderates the Association Between Emotion Dysregulation and Cannabis-Related Consequences

• Author: Shane D. Kentopp,Nicholas Johnson,Cara Fresquez,Mark A. Prince,Bradley T. Conner,
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0022042619847220
• Published date: 01 July 2019
• Date: 01 July 2019
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0022042619847220

Journal of Drug Issues

2019, Vol. 49(3) 559 –569

© The Author(s) 2019

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DOI: 10.1177/0022042619847220

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Article

Risk Seeking Moderates the

Association Between Emotion

Dysregulation and Cannabis-

Related Consequences

Shane D. Kentopp1, Nicholas Johnson1, Cara Fresquez1,

Mark A. Prince1, Bradley T. Conner1

and Marijuana Outcomes Study Team

Abstract

Sensation seeking and emotion dysregulation have been identified as contributing factors for

consequences associated with cannabis use, although findings have been mixed. The study

seeks to clarify relations between sensation seeking, emotion dysregulation, and cannabis-

related consequences. Cannabis users (N = 2,128) were assessed for facets of sensation

seeking, emotion dysregulation, and cannabis-related consequences. Results revealed a positive

association between risk seeking and cannabis-related consequences, as well as between emotion

dysregulation and cannabis-related consequences. A negative association was observed between

experience seeking and cannabis-related consequences. An interaction was found between

emotion dysregulation and risk seeking. Risk seeking appears to be a risk factor for cannabis-

related consequences at lower levels of emotion dysregulation. At high levels, the effect of

emotion dysregulation superseded that of risk seeking. These findings have implications for the

prioritization of clinical concerns in individuals seeking treatment for problematic cannabis use.

Keywords

cannabis-related consequences, harm reduction, latent variable interaction, sensation seeking,

emotion regulation

Introduction

Recent changes to the social and legal landscape of cannabis in the United States have sparked

the need for more research into the antecedents and sequelae of cannabis use. As societal atti-

tudes toward cannabis have changed, the perception of risk associated with using cannabis has

decreased significantly (Johnston, O’Malley, Miech, Bachman, & Schulenberg, 2017). However,

cannabis can carry with it the real possibility of harm and negative consequences. For example,

the prevalence rates of cannabis use disorder increased in emerging adults (18-25 years old) from

16% to 17% in the early 2000s to 19.8% in 2015 (Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and

Quality [CBHSQ], 2016). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (2017) recently published

1Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA

Corresponding Author:

Shane D. Kentopp, Colorado State University, 1876 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1801,USA.

Email: shane.kentopp@colostate.edu

847220JODXXX10.1177/0022042619847220Journal of Drug IssuesKentopp et al.

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