Cannabis use and social anxiety in young adulthood: A meta-analysis

Alanna Single; Elena Bilevicius; Victoria Ho; Jennifer Theule; Julia D Buckner; Natalie Mota; Matthew T Keough

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107275

Cannabis use and social anxiety in young adulthood: A meta-analysis

Addict Behav. 2022 Jun:129:107275. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107275. Epub 2022 Feb 4.

Authors

Alanna Single¹, Elena Bilevicius², Victoria Ho³, Jennifer Theule⁴, Julia D Buckner⁵, Natalie Mota⁶, Matthew T Keough⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, 190 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada. Electronic address: singlea@myumanitoba.ca.
² Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, 190 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada. Electronic address: bilevice@myumanitoba.ca.
³ University of Manitoba Libraries, University of Manitoba, 25 Chancellors Circle, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 5V5, Canada. Electronic address: victoria.ho@umanitoba.ca.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, 190 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada. Electronic address: jen.theule@umanitoba.ca.
⁵ Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, 236 Audubon Hall, Baton Rouge Louisiana 70803, United States. Electronic address: jbuckner@lsu.edu.
⁶ Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University of Manitoba, 771 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 3N4, Canada. Electronic address: natalie.mota@umanitoba.ca.
⁷ Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele St, North York, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada. Electronic address: keoughmt@yorku.ca.

PMID: 35184002
DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107275

Abstract

Young adulthood (ages 18 to 30 years old), a developmental age of exploration, is marked by new experiences and transitions. Cannabis use frequency is highest in young adulthood compared to other age periods. Social anxiety (characterized by fear, shyness, and inhibition in social situations where scrutiny and judgment is possible) is also prevalent during young adulthood. Social anxiety may be a complex predictor of cannabis use frequency and problems (e.g., any negative physical, emotional, or social outcome from use). Social anxiety may act as a risk factor as individuals may use cannabis frequently to manage their fear of negative evaluation and associated unpleasant affective states. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to quantify the magnitude of the associations between social anxiety and two cannabis variables (frequency of use and problems) in young adulthood. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify studies that included measures of social anxiety and at least one cannabis-related variable of interest among young adults. Eighteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results revealed a small, statistically significant positive association between social anxiety and cannabis problems (r = 0.197, k = 16, p = <0.001), and a nonsignificant association between social anxiety and cannabis use frequency (r = 0.002, k = 16, p = 0.929). The association between social anxiety and cannabis use frequency was moderated by the mean age such that samples with older mean ages exhibited a stronger correlation. Additionally, the association between social anxiety and cannabis problems was moderated by clinically significant levels of social anxiety, such that samples with fewer participants who met clinical levels of social anxiety exhibit a stronger correlation. This meta-analysis supports the idea that there is a complex relation between social anxiety and cannabis outcomes during young adulthood.

Keywords: Cannabis problems; Cannabis use frequency; Meta-analysis; Social anxiety; Young adulthood.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Anxiety / epidemiology
Anxiety / psychology
Cannabis*
Fear
Humans
Young Adult