Associations between marijuana use and anxious mood lability during adolescence
Rusby, J. C., Westling, E., Crowley, R., Mills, K. L., & Light, J. M. (2019). Associations between marijuana use and anxious mood lability during adolescence. Addictive behaviors, 92, 89-94.
Adolescence is a critical period marked by complex neurological processes and is frequently associated with mood fluctuations and impulsivity. Consequently, understanding the effects of cannabis use during this developmental stage is essential in order to assess risks that may be associated with adolescent cannabis use. The present study aims to examine the association between recent cannabis use and anxious mood lability. Data from 466 adolescents were collected beginning in the spring quarter of the 8th grade until the spring quarter of the 10th grade. The results showed that adolescents who reported cannabis use within the past 30 days experienced significantly higher instances of anxious rapid mood fluctuations when compared to adolescents who reported no cannabis use in the past 30 days. Although this finding lacks causative value, exploring whether young adults use cannabis to reduce mood fluctuations or whether their mood lability results from cannabis use is worthwhile as it could provide insights on how to address anxiety in adolescents.
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