Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
Previous research has established that alcohol and cannabis co-use is linked to more negative consequences than the discrete use of either substance. However, there is little research connecting an individual’s emotion regulation abilities—the capacity to adequately respond to one’s emotional experiences—to alcohol and cannabis co-use. This study aims to investigate the relationship between emotion dysregulation and co-users of alcohol and cannabis. Participants composed of SUNY Geneseo students (N = 150) studying psychology who completed an online survey regarding their alcohol and cannabis use behaviors and emotion regulation behaviors. Binary logistic regressions were used to examine the relationship between the 18-item Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18; Victor & Klonsky, 2016), its subscales, and one item pertaining to alcohol and cannabis co-use retrieved from the PhenX Toolkit Ver 39.0 (Hamilton et al., 2011). It was hypothesized that the overall DERS-18 scores as well as the goals, impulse, clarity, and strategy subscales would positively correlate with the alcohol and cannabis co-use item retrieved from the PhenX Toolkit Ver 39.0. The odds ratio for the Total DERS-18 Score is Exp(B) = (1.054), suggesting that those who score higher on the DERS-18—those who are more emotionally dysregulated—are 1.054 times more likely to co-use. The odds ratios for the Strategy, Goals, and Clarity subscales were also significant. These findings are consistent with the existing literature and will be useful in developing interventions aimed at minimizing the risk associated with polysubstance use among college students.
Recommended Citation
Melas, Trystan, "149-Emotion Dysregulation Predicts Alcohol and Cannabis Co-Use Among College Students" (2024). GREAT Day Posters. 37.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2024/posters-2024/37
149-Emotion Dysregulation Predicts Alcohol and Cannabis Co-Use Among College Students
Previous research has established that alcohol and cannabis co-use is linked to more negative consequences than the discrete use of either substance. However, there is little research connecting an individual’s emotion regulation abilities—the capacity to adequately respond to one’s emotional experiences—to alcohol and cannabis co-use. This study aims to investigate the relationship between emotion dysregulation and co-users of alcohol and cannabis. Participants composed of SUNY Geneseo students (N = 150) studying psychology who completed an online survey regarding their alcohol and cannabis use behaviors and emotion regulation behaviors. Binary logistic regressions were used to examine the relationship between the 18-item Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18; Victor & Klonsky, 2016), its subscales, and one item pertaining to alcohol and cannabis co-use retrieved from the PhenX Toolkit Ver 39.0 (Hamilton et al., 2011). It was hypothesized that the overall DERS-18 scores as well as the goals, impulse, clarity, and strategy subscales would positively correlate with the alcohol and cannabis co-use item retrieved from the PhenX Toolkit Ver 39.0. The odds ratio for the Total DERS-18 Score is Exp(B) = (1.054), suggesting that those who score higher on the DERS-18—those who are more emotionally dysregulated—are 1.054 times more likely to co-use. The odds ratios for the Strategy, Goals, and Clarity subscales were also significant. These findings are consistent with the existing literature and will be useful in developing interventions aimed at minimizing the risk associated with polysubstance use among college students.