Personality and Alcohol and Marijuana Use: Patterns of Convergence in Young Adulthood

Abstract

This study looks at similarities and differences between users of alcohol only and users of both alcohol and marijuana ranging in age from 18 to 24. Assessment of use included measures of use intensity, use context, use functions, and use problems. Personality variables included measures of temperamental/affective tendencies, evaluative appraisals of self, and stress associated with negative appraisals of one's self and one's environment. The two strongest patterns of convergence were found to be similar across groups and to be consistent with mean differences between both groups. It is concluded that the two patterns characterize different segments of the population of users.