Negative reinforcement of cannabis use: Subjective relief from negative affect following cannabis use and effects on subsequent patterns of use.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

A few studies have tested for negative reinforcement of alcohol and cannabis use at the daily level by examining changes in negative affect following substance use. However, changes in affect may not be perceived by participants or may not be attributed by participants to substance use. This study aimed to test whether using cannabis to cope with negative affect was associated with participants' perception that their negative affect was reduced by cannabis use (cannabis-contingent relief) and to determine whether this perceived relief predicted subsequent cannabis use.

Method

We used ecological momentary assessment data (two observations per day for 14 days) from 571 young adult females who regularly used cannabis, including an oversampling of sexual minority women

SUBMITTER: Dyar C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12822408 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature