Predictors and Consequences of Alcohol and Marijuana Co-use (vs. Alcohol use Only) in College

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: PS 10 Topic - Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

Background. Alcohol and marijuana remain prevalent in adolescence and early adulthood (SAMSHA, 2019) and co-use is associated with several poor outcomes (Yurasek et al., 2017), including a higher occurrence of major depression (Juon et al., 2011). Although consequences of co-use are clear, there is less research that has identified risk factors for co-use, particularly in the college context when binge drinking is somewhat normative (NIAAA, 2018) and in the current historical context when marijuana use is increasing (SAMSHA, 2019). Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify the unique predictors and consequences of alcohol and marijuana co-use (vs. alcohol use only) in the population of students transitioning into and out of college.
Method. Data were from the longitudinal College Experiences Study (N = 209, 60% female, 90% white). In the academic year of 2015-16, a random sample of 700 first-year students were invited to participate in a comprehensive online survey; 511 were successfully located, and 209 participated. They were invited to complete follow-up surveys ~11 months later (85% retention), and again four years after the initial assessment (80% retention). Co-use vs. alcohol-use only was coded based on their reported frequency of alcohol and marijuana in the last 12 months; see Table 1). Additional measures included the personality traits of constraint and negative emotionality (Tellegen & Waller, 2008), parent socio-emotional support (Cohen 2014; Gullone & Robinson, 2005), antisocial peer affiliation (Walden et al., 2004), depressive symptoms (CES-D; Lewinsohn et al., 1997), anxiety symptoms (Spitzer et al., 2006), and cumulative GPA; αs ranged from .81 to .95.
Results. A fully-saturated multivariate path analysis was conducted that evaluated predictors of co- vs. alcohol-use only at Wave 2, while simultaneously evaluating consequences of co- vs. alcohol use only at Wave 2 on depressive symptoms, anxiety, symptoms, and GPA at Wave 3. As diagrammed in Figure 1, after accounting for co-use vs. alcohol-use only at Wave 1, only depressive symptoms at Wave 1 significantly predicted co- vs. alcohol-use only at Wave 2 (OR = 1.07, p = .02). Relative to alcohol-use only, co-use only at Wave 2 was significantly associated with .29 lesser points in cumulative GPA at Wave 3 (p = .006).
Conclusion. Given that depressive symptoms in the first year of college significantly predicted a greater likelihood of co-use vs. alcohol-use only in the second year of college, and that co-use in the second year of college was associated with a relatively large, negative outcome in GPA in the transition out of college, results suggest it is imperative to assess and treat depressive symptoms early on in the transition out of college. Specific programs (Farabaugh et al., 2018) that have done this (e.g., 12 weeks CBT course) have demonstrated success in reducing depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts/behaviors. It remains important to address whether such programs could be effective on a larger scale, so that all first-year students could be screened for depression and given feedback and sources for treatment options.

Authors

• Bruno Ache Akua, Auburn University
  Presenting Author

• Diana R. Samek, Auburn University
  Non-Presenting Author