Sex differences in self-report and behavioral measures of disinhibition predicting marijuana use across adolescence.

Abstract

Disinhibition has been consistently linked to substance use across development. Recent research suggests, however, that these relations may be influenced by both sex and measurement approach. The current study examined the moderating effect of sex on the association between behavioral and self-report measures of disinhibition and marijuana use across adolescence. Participants were 115 boys and 89 girls initially evaluated at grade 8 using a laboratory behavioral assessment and self-report questionnaires of disinhibitory variables. Marijuana use was measured annually from grades 9 through 12. Results suggest that boys and girls did not differ on either self-reported or behaviorally assessed levels of disinhibition, and that disinhibition measured using both approaches was associated with increases in marijuana use over time. There was a significant interaction between sex and disinhibition, suggesting that boys (but not girls) who self-reported elevations in disinhibition evidenced greater increases in marijuana use. The current findings add to a growing literature supporting the importance of using multiple methods to assess disinhibition and highlight the critical role of biological sex in understanding these relations.

Cannabis Involvement and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: A Discordant Twin Approach

“…We noted a similar finding for the relationship between cannabis use and NSSI. Such shared genetic pathways may include a general liability to impulsive or disinhibited behaviors, which are related to both cannabis use (Felton et al, 2015) and NSSI (Glenn & Klonsky, 2010).…”

UPPS-P model impulsivity and marijuana use behaviors in adolescents: A meta-analysis

“…Sensation seeking is the most widely studied impulsivity-related trait for marijuana use and there is consistent evidence that sensation seeking is a robust predictor of marijuana use in both adults (e.g., Alston, 1994;Trocki et al, 2009;Quinn and Harden, 2013) and adolescents (e.g., Andrucci et al, 1989;Arnett and BalleJensen, 1993;Castellanos-Ryan et al, 2013;Felton et al, 2015).…”

“…Adolescents high in sensation seeking are more likely to use marijuana (e.g., Martin et al, 2002;Stanton et al, 2001) and use marijuana more frequently (e.g., Donohew et al, 1999;Felton et al, 2015). Additionally, adolescent sensation seekers are more likely to experience negative marijuana consequences, including trouble at school and at home (e.g., Hendershot et al, 2011;, and be diagnosed with marijuana dependence (e.g., Ames et al, 2005).…”

“…Impulsivity measures were assigned to separate impulsivity traits based on a factor analysis by Whiteside and Lynam (2001) and by previous meta-analyses (Coskunpinar et al, 2013;Dir et al, 2014;Karyadi et al, 2014;Supplemental Table 1). Marijuana-related behaviors we assigned were based on current conceptualizations of marijuana use (e.g., lifetime use, current use, frequency of use; Martin et al, 2002;Felton et al, 2015; and negative marijuana consequences (e.g., dependence, marijuana-related problems; Hendershot et al, 2011;Stautz and Cooper, 2015;Ames et al, 2005).…”

Marijuana Use Is Associated with Behavioral Approach and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents and Emerging Adults

“…This is an important consideration given that traditional neuropsychological measures may not capture every-day dysfunction in substance using populations [43]. In a longitudinal study by Felton and colleagues [44], self-reported and behavioral measures of disinhibition in 8 th grade prospectively predicted increased marijuana use across high school students, regardless of gender. Self-reported apathy and executive dysfunction on the Frontal Systems Behavioral Scale (FrSBe) have also been related to severity of marijuana use [45].…”