Cannabis Use and Social Anxiety in Adolescence: The Role of Facilitation Expectancies

Abstract

Cannabis use is frequently related to social anxiety in young adulthood, but the nature of this relationship is unclear. Moreover, much research has been conducted on the role of cannabis effects expectancies and their relationship to social anxiety among young adults, but less is known about adolescence. The study examined the relationship between social anxiety, cannabis use patterns, and cannabis effects expectancies among a nonclinical sample of 1,305 adolescents (51% female). Non-users reported higher social anxiety scores than non-problematic and risky users. Compared to users, non-users had more negative expectancies. Risky and problematic users showed higher social and sexual facilitation expectancies and perceptual and cognitive enhancement expectancies. In addition, social anxiety was related to global negative expectancies and social and sexual facilitation expectancies. Moreover, we found that among socially anxious adolescents, social and sexual facilitation expectancies are dissuasive reasons to use cannabis. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.