TY - JOUR
T1 - Reflective and non-reflective influences on cannabis use among undergraduate students
T2 - A qualitative study
AU - Porche, Samuele
AU - Gardner, Benjamin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2022/2/14
Y1 - 2022/2/14
N2 - OBJECTIVE: Around 40% of US university students use cannabis, 25% of whom present with cannabis use disorder, which endangers health. We investigated the concurrent contribution of reflective processes, which generate action via conscious deliberation, and non-reflective processes, which prompt behavior automatically, to undergraduates' cannabis consumption.PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen UK undergraduates who regularly consume cannabis (11 female, 7 male; mean age 20 y).METHODS: Semi-structured interviews explored cannabis motives, routines, cues, and decision points. Thematic analysis identified themes, in each of which reflective and non-reflective dimensions were coded.RESULTS: Four themes were identified: cannabis use for relaxation, social bonding, and symbolic-affective significance, and contexts and triggers. Some influences guided cannabis use reflectively in some settings, and non-reflectively in others. Even when cannabis use was consciously driven, non-reflective processes were deployed to execute subservient acts, such as rolling joints.CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight specific processes and pathways that might be targeted to reduce cannabis-related harm.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Around 40% of US university students use cannabis, 25% of whom present with cannabis use disorder, which endangers health. We investigated the concurrent contribution of reflective processes, which generate action via conscious deliberation, and non-reflective processes, which prompt behavior automatically, to undergraduates' cannabis consumption.PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen UK undergraduates who regularly consume cannabis (11 female, 7 male; mean age 20 y).METHODS: Semi-structured interviews explored cannabis motives, routines, cues, and decision points. Thematic analysis identified themes, in each of which reflective and non-reflective dimensions were coded.RESULTS: Four themes were identified: cannabis use for relaxation, social bonding, and symbolic-affective significance, and contexts and triggers. Some influences guided cannabis use reflectively in some settings, and non-reflectively in others. Even when cannabis use was consciously driven, non-reflective processes were deployed to execute subservient acts, such as rolling joints.CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight specific processes and pathways that might be targeted to reduce cannabis-related harm.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85125339871&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/07448481.2022.2034835
DO - 10.1080/07448481.2022.2034835
M3 - Article
C2 - 35157557
SN - 0744-8481
SP - 1
EP - 7
JO - Journal of American College Health
JF - Journal of American College Health
ER -