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Abstract
The present study empirically tested the theory-based hypothesis that greater sleep problems and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity would both individually and multiplicatively predict higher levels of coping-motivated marijuana use. Twenty (15 women) adults (M age = 34.00 years, SD = 11.96) who had PTSD and were currently using marijuana participated. Results indicated a positive independent relation with sleep problems and a significant interaction between sleep problems and PTSD symptom severity in relation to coping-motivated marijuana use. Results also indicated nonsignificant omnibus regression models for all other marijuana use motives. The results suggest that there may be segments of the PTSD population that are more likely to use marijuana to cope by virtue of individual differences in sleep problems.
This work was supported, in part, by the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service funds. In addition, this study was supported by a VA Clinical Science Research and Development Career Development Award–2, granted to Dr. Bonn-Miller, as well as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contract (U49 CE001248), a Department of Defense grant (PT073945), and an Arkansas Biosciences Institute grant awarded to Dr. Feldner. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Notes
PTSD = post-traumatic stress disorder; MMM = Marijuana Motives Measures (CitationSimons et al., 1998).
*p < .05; **p < .01.
1. Marijuana abuse and dependence (with the inclusion of substance withdrawal criteria as defined by the DSM-IV for other drugs and as assessed by the SCID-NP for other drug classes) criteria were derived from the DSM-IV-TR (CitationAPA, 2000). Although the inclusion of withdrawal is not currently consistent with DSM-IV-TR criteria for marijuana dependence, it was included as it is consistent with the definition of marijuana dependence provided by CitationBudney, Hughes, Moore, and Vandrey (2004) and is likely to be included as a core defining feature of dependence in future DSM iterations.
2. Analyses also were conducted with the inclusion of marijuana use frequency as a covariate. Frequency of marijuana use did not significantly contribute to the model, and the interaction between PTSD symptoms and sleep problems remained statistically significant.