Cannabis use in adolescents and anxiety symptoms and disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Lowe, Darby J. E.; Sorkhou, Maryam; George, Tony P.

doi:10.1080/00952990.2023.2299922

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 58 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Prior literature supports our finding that the initiation of regular cannabis use in adolescence may be a particular risk factor for experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety in adulthood ( 23 , 28 ). However, this is the first study to our knowledge to test the effects of both adolescent-onset cannabis use and current cannabis use in relation to depression and anxiety symptoms in parents of young children.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Moreover, youth with more chronic or severe forms of depression during their early adolescent years are at elevated risk for developing a cannabis use disorder compared with youth with less severe symptoms (27). With regard to anxiety, a recent systematic review and meta-analysis found strong evidence for a significant relationship between adolescent cannabis use and the exacerbation of anxiety symptoms later in life (28), consistent with prior studies finding longitudinal symptoms of persistent anxiety among adolescent cannabis users (29). Although it remains unclear whether cannabis use increases depression and anxiety, whether symptoms of anxiety and depression drive increased cannabis use, or whether there are reciprocal effects on each, research indicates that adolescent-onset regular cannabis users are at increased risk of depressive symptoms compared with adult-onset users (30).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Adolescent-onset cannabis use and parenting young children: an investigation of differential effectiveness of a digital parenting intervention

Hails,

McWhirter,

Sileci

et al. 2024

Front. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionThere is scant empirical work on associations between current and past cannabis use and parenting skills in parents of young children. As recreational cannabis use is now legal in nearly half of states in the U.S., cannabis use is becoming more ubiquitous.MethodsIn the current study, parents of toddler and pre-school age children were randomly assigned to participate in an app-based parenting skills program that included telehealth coaching (Family Check-Up Online; FCU-O), with a focus on parenting in the context of substance use. We aimed to test associations between adolescent-onset and current cannabis use and parent mental health and parenting skills, as well as whether effects of the FCU-O on parent mental health outcomes varied as a function of past cannabis use. Participants were 356 parents of children ages 1.5–5 participating in a randomized controlled trial of the FCU-O. Parents screened into the study if they reported current or past substance misuse or current depressive symptoms. After completing a baseline assessment, parents were randomly assigned to the FCU-O or control group and completed a follow-up assessment 3 months later. Parents retrospectively reported on the age when they initially used substances, as well as their current use.ResultsAfter accounting for current cannabis use, adolescent-onset cannabis use was significantly associated with higher symptoms of anxiety and depression, but not with parenting skills. Adolescent-onset cannabis use was found to significantly moderate the effect of the FCU-O on parents' anxiety symptoms. Specifically, the FCU-O was particularly effective in reducing anxiety symptoms for parents with adolescent-onset regular cannabis use, after accounting for current cannabis use.DiscussionAdolescent-onset regular cannabis use may be a risk factor for later mental health challenges in parents of children under 5. An app-based parenting intervention may be particularly helpful in reducing symptoms of anxiety for parents who used cannabis regularly as adolescents. The findings have significant implications for the prevention of multigenerational risk for substance use and mental health challenges.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%