Precision Mental Health Care for Cannabis Use Disorder: Utility of a bioSocial Cognitive Theory to Inform Treatment

Globally, cannabis is the most frequently used controlled substance after alcohol and tobacco. Rates of cannabis use are steadily increasing in many countries and there is emerging evidence that there is likely to be greater risk due to increased concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Cannabis use and Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) has been linked to a wide range of adverse health outcomes. Several biological, psychological, and social risk factors are potential targets for effective evidence-based treatments for CUD. There are no effective medications for CUD and psychological interventions are the main form of treatment. Psychological treatments based on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) emphasize the importance of targeting 2 keys psychological mechanisms: drug outcome expectancies and low drug refusal self-efficacy. This mini-review summarizes the evidence on the role of these mechanisms in the initiation, maintenance, and cessation of cannabis use. It also reviews recent evidence showing how these psychological mechanisms are affected by social and biologically-based risk factors. A new bioSocial Cognitive Theory (bSCT) is outlined that integrates these findings and implications for psychological cannabis interventions are discussed. Preliminary evidence supports the application of bSCT to improve intervention outcomes through better targeted treatment.

Contemporary Trend of Drug Abuse Among In-School Adolescents in Kwara State, Nigeria

Presently, drug abuse has become a societal problem with its prevalence being found among adolescents in Nigeria. This study focuses on the contemporary trend of drug abuse among in-school adolescents in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study employed the use of a descriptive survey design. One hundred respondents were chosen for the study through the use of a simple random sampling technique from the three Senatorial districts of Kwara State. In total, three hundred adolescents participated in the study. The respondents were stratified on the basis of age and gender. In order to ascertain the validity of the instrument of this study, copies of the questionnaire were given to experts and lecturers in related fields for vetting. A reliability index of 0.75 was obtained using a test-retest method. The instrument used for this study was tagged “Trends of Drug Abuse Questionnaire” (TDAQ). The outcome of this research revealed that a significant difference existed in in-school adolescent’s perception on the contemporary trend of drug abuse based on age. However, on the basis of gender, the respondent’s perceptions were similar. Given these results, it is recommended that drug refusal skills as well as drug education be incorporated into students’ orientation programs.

Contemporary Trend of Drug Abuse Among In-School Adolescents in Kwara State, Nigeria

Presently, drug abuse has become a societal problem with its prevalence being found among adolescents in Nigeria. This study focuses on the contemporary trend of drug abuse among in-school adolescents in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study employed the use of a descriptive survey design. One hundred respondents were chosen for the study through the use of a simple random sampling technique from the three Senatorial districts of Kwara State. In total, three hundred adolescents participated in the study. The respondents were stratified on the basis of age and gender. In order to ascertain the validity of the instrument of this study, copies of the questionnaire were given to experts and lecturers in related fields for vetting. A reliability index of 0.75 was obtained using a test-retest method. The instrument used for this study was tagged “Trends of Drug Abuse Questionnaire” (TDAQ). The outcome of this research revealed that a significant difference existed in in-school adolescent’s perception on the contemporary trend of drug abuse based on age. However, on the basis of gender, the respondent’s perceptions were similar. Given these results, it is recommended that drug refusal skills as well as drug education be incorporated into students’ orientation programs.

Gendered Perceptions of Drugs, Aggression, and Violence

Drug use has been linked empirically with aggression and violence among youth in national and State of Hawai‘i samples. In addition, aggression and violence appear to be gendered experiences perceived differently by girls and boys. This article explores the intersection of drug offers/drug refusals with aggression and violence with specific attention paid to gendered perceptions of drug use situations as a context for aggression and violence. A qualitative study, in which 14 sex-specific focus group discussions were held, focused on rural Native Hawaiian middle school students ( N = 64). Students were asked to discuss drug refusal strategies in a variety of drug offer contexts. Feminist theories and approaches were used to examine the role of aggression and violence in drug refusal as perceived by Native Hawaiian girls as compared with boys. Girls and boys differed in their perceptions of aggression and violence in drug offer situations, initially as evidenced by the extent to which the girl groups focused on the intersection of drugs and violence. Furthermore, qualitative analyses reflected gender norms and stereotypes about aggression and violence perpetration, and girls’ apparently unique concerns about sexual violence victimization. Implications are discussed in terms of prevention research and practice, specifically in terms of school-based prevention curricula.