An examination of the acquired preparedness model among college student marijuana users

Abstract

Objective

To examine the Acquired Preparedness Model using a behavioral impulsivity facet and positive marijuana expectancies to examine direct and indirect effects on marijuana use and related problems. Participants: 250 college students (61.7% female, 54% white) recruited from a southeastern university. Methods: Participants completed an online survey of delay reward discounting, marijuana expectancies, consideration of future consequences, and marijuana-related outcomes. Results: Delay reward discounting and consideration of future consequences related to marijuana-related problems, but not marijuana use. However, positive marijuana expectancies did not mediate the relation between impulsivity and marijuana outcomes. Conclusions: These results emphasize delay reward discounting and consideration of future consequences as important factors associated with marijuana-related problems. Interventions aimed at decreasing delay reward discounting and augmenting future orientation may be effective in college students who report light to moderate marijuana use. Future studies would benefit from longitudinal study designs using multiple impulsivity measures among light and heavy users.

Keywords:

• Acquired preparedness
• delay discounting
• impulsivity
• marijuana
• young adults

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the IRB of the University of Florida.

Additional information

Funding

Funding Source: Contribution to this manuscript was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) K23DA046565 01 (Yurasek) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) T32AA02587701A1 (Berey).