Heavy cannabis use and attentional avoidance of anxiety-related stimuli

Wilcockson, T.D.W.; Sanal, N.E.M.

Abstract

Objectives
Cannabis is now the most widely used illicit substance in the world. Previous research demonstrates that cannabis use is associated with dysfunctional affect regulation and anxiety. Anxiety is characterised by attentional biases in the presence of emotional information. This novel study therefore examined the attentional bias of cannabis users when presented with anxiety-related stimuli. The aim was to establish whether cannabis users respond to anxiety-related stimuli differently to control participants.

Methods
A dot-probe paradigm was utilised using undergraduate students. Trials contained anxiety-related stimuli and neutral control stimuli. Eye-tracking was used to measure attention for the stimuli.

Results
Results indicated that cannabis users demonstrated attentional-avoidance behaviour when presented with anxiety-related stimuli.

Conclusions
The findings suggest a difference in processing of emotional information in relation to neutral information between groups. It would appear that cannabis users avoid anxiety provoking stimuli. Such behaviour could potentially have motivational properties that could lead to exacerbating anxiety disorder-type behaviour.

Citation

Wilcockson, T., & Sanal, N. (2016). Heavy cannabis use and attentional avoidance of anxiety-related stimuli. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 3, 38-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2016.02.004

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 29, 2016
• Publication Date: 2016-06
• Deposit Date: Feb 20, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 23, 2024
• Journal: Addictive Behaviors Reports
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 3
• Pages: 38-42
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2016.02.004
• Keywords: Psychiatry and Mental health