Supervisors info:
Μασδράκης Βασίλειος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Τζαβέλλας Ηλίας, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Τριανταφύλλου Καλλιόπη, Επιστημονική συνεργάτης, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Introduction. Social anxiety has been systematically linked to cannabis use and particularly to cannabis dependence and its associated problems. However, theories and empirical evidence suggest both potential risk and protective pathways. Motivation for cannabis use appears to be particularly relevant in this relationship, while the role of gender and age has not been well examined.
Aim. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between social anxiety symptoms, cannabis use and motivation, and to evaluate the role of gender and age on social anxiety symptoms and cannabis use, motivation and problems.
Methodology. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 340 subjects (116 men, 221 women) from the general population with a mean age of 33 years (SD = 14.202). The data collection process was conducted via Google Forms between November 2023 and March 2024 and participants completed four self-report questionnaires (Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Scale, Marijuana Use Problems Scale, Marijuana Motives Measure, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale).
Results. Statistical analysis showed that 21.7% of the participants engaged in hazardous cannabis use and 28.3% had Cannabis Use Disorder. Using Pearson's correlation coefficient, a positive and statistically significant correlation was found between social anxiety and cannabis use related problems (r=0.412, p=0.000), while no correlation was found between social anxiety and cannabis use (p=0.130). Independent t-tests also indicated that people with social anxiety reported more cannabis use-related problems compared to people without social anxiety (M=4.97, SD=4.669) (p=0.000) and that they more frequently reported coping (p=0.001), conformity (p=0.000) and social (p=0.000) motives for use. Finally, no statistically significant differences were found between men and women, nor between different age groups, in terms of social anxiety, cannabis use, motivations for use and problems associated with cannabis use.
Conclusions. The resulting findings demonstrate a degree of vulnerability of people with social anxiety to problems associated with cannabis use. Therefore, it is important and useful for clinical prevention and treatment practices to study and further understand this relationship, as well as the role of motivation in the initiation and maintenance of cannabis use by this group of individuals.
Keywords:
Cannabis use problems, Cannabis Use Disorder, Social anxiety, Cannabis use motivation
