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Biomedical subjects

Mitch Earleywine

Publications and source records attributed to Mitch Earleywine.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Negative consequences associated with dependence in daily cannabis users.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis is the most widely consumed illicit substance in America, with increasing rates of use. Some theorists tend to link frequency of use with cannabis dependence. Nevertheless, fewer than half of daily cannabis users meet DSM-IV-TR criteria for cannabis dependence. This study seeks to determine whether the negative aspects associated with cannabis use can be explained by a proxy measure of dependence instead of by frequency of use. RESULTS: Over 2500 adult daily cannabis users completed an Internet survey consisting of measures of cannabis and other drug use, in addition to measures of commonly reported negative problems resulting from cannabis use. We compared those who met a proxy measure of DSM-IV-TR criteria for cannabis dependence (N = 1111) to those who did not meet the criteria (N = 1770). Cannabis dependent subjects consumed greater amounts of cannabis, alcohol, and a variety of other drugs. They also had lower levels of motivation, happiness, and satisfaction with life, with higher levels of depression and respiratory symptoms. CONCLUSION: Although all of our subjects reported daily use, only those meeting proxy criteria for cannabis dependence reported significant associated problems. Our data suggest that dependence need not arise from daily use, but consuming larger amounts of cannabis and other drugs undoubtedly increases problems.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Simultaneous alcohol and cannabis expectancies predict simultaneous use.

BACKGROUND: Simultaneous use of alcohol and cannabis predicts increased negative consequences for users beyond individual or even concurrent use of the two drugs. Given the widespread use of the drugs and common simultaneous consumption, problems unique to simultaneous use may bear important implications for many substance users. Cognitive expectancies offer a template for future drug use behavior based on previous drug experiences, accurately predicting future use and problems. Studies reveal similar mechanisms underlying both alcohol and cannabis expectancies, but little research examines simultaneous expectancies for alcohol and cannabis use. Whereas research has demonstrated unique outcomes associated with simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use, this study hypothesized that unique cognitive expectancies may underlie simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use. RESULTS: This study examined a sample of 2600 (66% male; 34% female) Internet survey respondents solicited through advertisements with online cannabis-related organizations. The study employed known measures of drug use and expectancies, as well as a new measure of simultaneous drug use expectancies. Expectancies for simultaneous use of alcohol and cannabis predicted simultaneous use over and above expectancies for each drug individually. DISCUSSION: Simultaneous expectancies may provide meaningful information not available with individual drug expectancies. These findings bear potential implications on the assessment and treatment of substance abuse problems, as well as researcher conceptualizations of drug expectancies. Policies directing the treatment of substance abuse and its funding ought to give unique consideration to simultaneous drug use and its cognitive underlying factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Pothead or pot smoker? A taxometric investigation of cannabis dependence.

BACKGROUND: Taxometric methods were used to discern the latent structure of cannabis dependence. Such methods help determine if a construct is categorical or dimensional. Taxometric analyses (MAXEIG and MAMBAC) were conducted on data from 1,474 cannabis-using respondents to the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Respondents answered questions assessing DSM-IV criteria for cannabis dependence. RESULTS: Both taxometric methods provided support for a dimensional structure of cannabis dependence. CONCLUSION: Although the MAMBAC results were not entirely unequivocal, the majority of evidence favored a dimensional structure of cannabis dependence.

Cannabis↗
PubMed2006

Comparing electronic-keypad responses to paper-and-pencil questionnaires in group assessments of alcohol consumption and related attitudes.

Electronic versions of questionnaires have the potential to improve research and interventions in the addictions. Administering questionnaires electronically to groups, however, has proven difficult without a multitude of computers, but gathering data electronically from a group could make for easy assessment and quick feedback. Using a sample of 107 college students, we examined the validity of wireless keypad survey responses by comparing them to traditional paper-and-pencil questionnaires. The two formats led to almost identical responses that did not differ significantly from each other (all effect sizes less than g=.15) and high correlations between formats. The wireless, handheld keypad procedure appears to generate data that are as valid as questionnaire responses and permit rapid feedback to groups, as well as easy, human error-free data entry for analysis.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Confirming alcohol-moderated links between cannabis use and dependence in a national sample.

The present study confirmed findings that alcohol moderates the link between cannabis use and dependence. The study examined a large, diverse national sample of 856 people who consumed cannabis and alcohol at least twice per week. The study possesses several methodological improvements over past research, including less subjective measures of cannabis use and interview-based data collection. Cannabis use and alcohol consumption interacted to predict cannabis dependence symptoms. Cannabis use covaried with cannabis dependence particularly in people who consumed greater amounts of alcohol. These data further support the hypothesis that alcohol increases problems associated with cannabis use.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Cannabis, motivation, and life satisfaction in an internet sample.

Although little evidence supports cannabis-induced amotivational syndrome, sources continue to assert that the drug saps motivation 1, which may guide current prohibitions. Few studies report low motivation in chronic users; another reveals that they have higher subjective wellbeing. To assess differences in motivation and subjective wellbeing, we used a large sample (N = 487) and strict definitions of cannabis use (7 days/week) and abstinence (never). Standard statistical techniques showed no differences. Robust statistical methods controlling for heteroscedasticity, non-normality and extreme values found no differences in motivation but a small difference in subjective wellbeing. Medical users of cannabis reporting health problems tended to account for a significant portion of subjective wellbeing differences, suggesting that illness decreased wellbeing. All p-values were above p = .05. Thus, daily use of cannabis does not impair motivation. Its impact on subjective wellbeing is small and may actually reflect lower wellbeing due to medical symptoms rather than actual consumption of the plant.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Schizotypy, marijuana, and differential item functioning.

At least five studies report elevated schizotypy scores in cannabis users. The current research confirms higher schizotypy scores in regular cannabis users. Nevertheless, further analyses reveal that select items on the brief version of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire do not function comparably in current and former users. Multiple statistical approaches confirmed this problem, including the Mantel-Haenszel statistic, Rasch difficulty estimates, a logistic regression approach, the Breslow-Day (BD) statistic, and a combined decision rule using Mantel-Haenszel and BD together. Cannabis users appear to misinterpret at least one item, "I sometimes use words in unusual ways" making them more likely to endorse it even if they are no more schizotypal than the former users. Users might consider cannabis-related slang as an unusual use of words. Removing problematic items does not decrease the internal consistency of the measure, but eliminates the significant difference between current and former users. These results suggest that links between cannabis use and schizotypy require cautious interpretation and may arise from measurement problems.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Alcohol expectancies for social facilitation: A short form with decreased bias.

The social facilitation scale of the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire-Adolescent version predicts subsequent drinking behavior and covaries with other important constructs. An examination of the interval-level measurement properties and potential biases of items could help improve the scale. Responses in a large sample (N=518) of undergraduates confirmed that the items fit a Rasch model for a single-factor, interval scale. Two items were biased when comparing non-drinkers, social drinkers and extreme drinkers. Four additional items showed gender bias. Removal of these items shortened the scale without decreasing correlations with two measures associated with drinking, while the strength with one measure was slightly decreased. This short form of the questionnaire should prove useful in the study of alcohol expectancies for social facilitation without drinking- or gender-related bias. These results also support the utility of Rasch modeling.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Reducing heavy drinking in college males with the decisional balance: analyzing an element of Motivational Interviewing.

The decisional balance, a brief detailing of the advantages and disadvantages of behavior change, serves as a key component to interventions in Motivational Interviewing. The impact of this component alone is not well understood. Forty-seven men completed a Timeline Followback interview assessing alcohol consumption and unsafe sexual practices. They then completed a decisional balance, listing the Pros and Cons of decreasing their drinking, but not one for safer sex. One-month follow-up data showed that they had statistically significant and clinically meaningful increases in their motivation to alter drinking and decreases in the number of drinks that they intended to drink, the actual drinks consumed per month, the days per month that they drank, their maximum number of drinks consumed on one occasion, and their average number of drinks per occasion. They did not alter their sexual behavior or their motivation to increase safe sex behavior. These results suggest that the decisional balance plays an important role in Motivational Interviewing and could serve as a quick and efficient intervention by itself.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Alcohol consumption moderates the link between cannabis use and cannabis dependence in an internet survey.

The link between cannabis use and cannabis dependence remains poorly understood. Some people use cannabis regularly without signs of dependence; others show dependence despite using less. This study examined alcohol consumption as a moderator of this association. A sample of 476 people (primarily Caucasian men) who used cannabis at least once per week reported their alcohol consumption, cannabis use, and cannabis dependence symptoms in an Internet survey. Regressions revealed significant interactions between measures of cannabis use and alcohol consumption when predicting cannabis dependence. Cannabis use covaried with cannabis dependence, particularly in people who consumed alcohol frequently or in large amounts per week. Despite limitations, these data suggest that alcohol may decrease the safety of cannabis consumption.

Adult↗