Cannabis Use Motives and Cannabis-Related Outcomes: A Moderated Moderation Analysis of Protective Behavioral Strategies and Sex

Abstract

Different motives for cannabis use have been linked to varying consumption patterns and consequences, though findings remain inconsistent. This study examined how these motives relate to cannabis-related outcomes and tested whether Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS) and sex moderate these associations, and whether the moderating role of PBS differs by sex. Participants were 462 young adults who reported past-month cannabis use (M_age = 20.98; 61.3% male) and completed two surveys separated by three months. Regression analyses indicated that stronger coping motives were associated with more frequent use. Moderation analysis showed that the associations of social and expansion motives with cannabis quantity was weaker at higher PBS levels. Among males, the positive associations between expansion motives and quantity, and between conformity motives and cannabis-related consequences were weaker at higher levels of PBS. These findings highlight the moderating role of PBS and suggest enhancing PBS may benefit interventions aiming to reduce cannabis-related outcomes.