Are psychotic-like experiences related to a discontinuation of cannabis consumption in young adults?
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
- Heidelberg University
- University of Amsterdam
- Trinity College Dublin
- King's College London (KCL)
- University College London
- University of Mannheim
- University of Vermont
- École normale supérieure Paris-Saclay
- Kiel University
- Bloorview Research Institute
- University of Göttingen
- Fudan University
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité
Abstract
Objective: To assess changes in cannabis use in young adults as a function of psychotic-like experiences. Method: Participants were initially recruited at age 14 in high schools for the longitudinal IMAGEN study. All measures presented here were assessed at follow-ups at age 19 and at age 22, respectively. Perceived stress was only assessed once at age 22. Ever users of cannabis (N = 552) gave qualitative and quantitative information on cannabis use and psychotic-like experiences using the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE). Of those, nearly all n = 549 reported to have experienced at least one psychotic experience of any form at age 19. Results: Mean cannabis use increased from age 19 to 22 and age of first use of cannabis was positively associated with a change in cannabis use between the two time points. Change in cannabis use was not significantly associated with psychotic-like experiences at age 19 or 22. In exploratory analysis, we observed a positive association between perceived stress and the experience of psychotic experiences at age 22. Conclusion: Age of first use of cannabis influenced trajectories of young cannabis users with later onset leading to higher increase, whereas the frequency of psychotic-like experiences was not associated with a change in cannabis use. The observed association between perceived stress and psychotic-like experiences at age 22 emphasizes the importance of stress experiences in developing psychosis independent of cannabis use.
Details
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 271-279 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Schizophrenia research |
Volume | 228 |
Publication status | Published - Feb 2021 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
PubMed | 33493775 |
---|---|
ORCID | /0000-0001-5398-5569/work/161890750 |
ORCID | /0000-0002-8493-6396/work/161891662 |
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- Age of first use, Cannabis discontinuation hypothesis, Cannabis use, Perceived stress, Psychotic-like experiences