Life events and substance use among adolescents: Mediating effects of perceived loss of control and meaninglessness in life.

Abstract

Throughout history, alcohol and other drugs have been used to provide relief in times of stress and frustration. Research has confirmed this association between disruptive life change events and substance use. It was hypothesized that two psychological constructs facilitate and mediate this relation between stress and substance use. Uncontrollable stress (negative life change events) was assumed to create a sense of loss of control, which in turn engendered a decreased level of meaning in life. This meaninglessness in life, experienced as distressful and uncomfortable, is then treated or medicated with various drug substances. This theoretical sequential model was tested in two separate studies with independent samples of adolescents (one sample collected by the Rutgers University and the other collected by the University of California, Los Angeles [UCLA]) using latent variable structural models. The Rutgers sample was cross-sectional, whereas the UCLA sample provided longitudinal data. Results supported the theoretical hypothesis that Perceived Loss of Control and Meaninglessness mediate the relation between Uncontrollable Stress and Substance Use. In the Rutgers data, the association between stress and drug use was clearly accounted for by the mediating constructs; in other words, no direct path was necessary to explain the relation between stress and general drug use. However, in the UCLA data there remained a direct influence of Uncontrollable Stress on Substance Use after accounting for the significant impact of the mediating constructs. Five other competing models were tested; four were rejected empirically, and the other was accepted, although it was less theoretically based than the mediational model.

Cross-sensitization and cross-tolerance between exogenous cannabinoid antinociception and endocannabinoid-mediated stress-induced analgesia

“…If, as our data indicate, stress can produce sensitization to exogenous cannabinoids like Δ 9 -THC, it is reasonable to postulate that physiological and psychological effects of acute cannabis intoxication could be potentiated in individuals experiencing adverse environmental stress. One result might be an increased likelihood of reuse or establishment of a self-medicating routine involving cannabis and/or other drugs of abuse (Butters, 2002;Newcomb and Harlow, 1986). Thus, it is noteworthy that CB 1 antagonists have found therapeutic applications in reducing recidivism in smokers (Cohen et al, 2005;Tucci et al, 2006) and other substance abusers (Maldonado et al, 2006).…”

It's the Mind-Set that Matters: The Role of Construal Level and Message Framing in Influencing Consumer Efficacy and Conservation Behaviors

“…According to Wood and Bandura (1989, p. 408), "self-efficacy refers to beliefs in one's capabilities to mobilize the motivation, cognitive resources, and courses of action needed to meet given situational demands." Perceptions of efficacy have been shown to translate into positive behaviors in numerous domains such as dealing with phobias and anxieties (Bandura, Reese, and Adams1982), overcoming alcohol and drug abuse (Newcomb and Harlow 1986), and quitting smoking (DiClemente 1981). Furthermore, previous research has shown that people with a strong sense of self-efficacy are more persistent than their lowself-efficacy counterparts in the face of barriers to action (Bandura and Cervone 1983;Bernier and Avard 1986).…”

Child Neglect and Its Association With Subsequent Juvenile Drug and Alcohol Offense

“…Likewise, Pires and Jenkins (2007) found that parental rejection was positively related to adolescent illicit drug use. In response to a perceived loss of self-esteem and control, as well as a sense of hopelessness, adolescents were found more likely to use drugs as an avenue to ''escape'' from the realities of their daily lives (Newcomb and Harlow 1986).…”