Distress Tolerance and Cannabis Craving: The Impact of Laboratory-Induced Distress

Low levels of distress tolerance have been identified as an important vulnerability factor for negative cannabis outcomes. The current study is the first known experimental manipulation of state distress to test whether distress tolerance interacts with state distress to predict the urge to use cann...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology 2019-02, Vol.27 (1), p.38-44
Main Authors: Buckner, Julia D., Walukevich Dienst, Katherine, Zvolensky, Michael J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological - drug effects
Adult
Behavior Control - methods
Behavior Control - psychology
Behavior, Addictive - psychology
Cannabis
Coping Behavior
Craving
Distress
Female
Human
Humans
Male
Marijuana Abuse - psychology
Marijuana Abuse - therapy
Marijuana Smoking - psychology
Motivation
Negative Emotions
Psychology, Experimental - methods
Test Construction
Tolerance
Young Adult
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Summary:Low levels of distress tolerance have been identified as an important vulnerability factor for negative cannabis outcomes. The current study is the first known experimental manipulation of state distress to test whether distress tolerance interacts with state distress to predict the urge to use cannabis. Current cannabis users (N = 126; 88.9% with cannabis use disorder; 54.0% non-Hispanic Caucasian) were randomly assigned to a distress task condition or neutral (reading) task condition. Participants in the 2 conditions did not differ on distress tolerance, negative affect (NA), or craving at baseline. The distress tolerance × condition interaction significantly predicted task NA, such that low (but not high) distress tolerance was related to greater state NA throughout the task. The distress tolerance × condition interaction significantly predicted cannabis craving during the task, such that the distress condition was related to greater cannabis craving at lower (but not higher) levels of distress tolerance. In the distress condition, those who endorsed coping motives during the task reported lower distress tolerance. Together these findings suggest that individuals with lower distress tolerance experienced greater NA during a laboratory-induced distress and reported greater cannabis craving when NA was greatest during the task. This experimental study adds to a growing, but limited, literature implicating lower levels of distress tolerance to the maintenance and relapse of cannabis use. Public Health Significance Data from this study indicate that individuals with lower distress tolerance experienced greater negative affect during distressing events and experience greater urge to use cannabis when negative affect is elevated. Data have important implications for understanding the nature and treatment of cannabis use and related problems.
ISSN:1064-1297
1936-2293
DOI:10.1037/pha0000231