The Association of Coping Strategy with Marijuana and Ecstasy Use in Adolescents and Young Adults

Coping is the process by which an individual makes a conscious effort to solve personal or interpersonal problems to reduce distress. Two general coping styles with three main factors have been identified. An engaged coping style is characterized by the use of problem-solving, while a disengaged coping style is characterized by coping through emotional and social support or total avoidance of the stressor. Adolescent and adult substance users have been found to have coping strategies associated with anger, helplessness, and avoidance. MJ users have been found to have anger and avoidant coping characteristics, while adult ecstasy users have a social/emotional coping style. Comparatively few studies have assessed the association of dose-dependent substance use on coping style in adolescents and young adults.129 adolescents and young adults MJ, ECT, and ETOH users were recruited from the community and completed The Ways of Coping Questionnaire to assess coping characteristics and style and a Timeline Follow-Back semi-structured interview to assess recent and historical substance use. Multiple regression analysis was run to assess the association of dose-dependent substance use with subscales of the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WoC). Increased MJ use was associated with decreased planful problem-solving style (p = 0.06) and increased confrontive coping style (p = 0.10). Increased ETOH use predicted increased escape-avoidance style (p = 0.10). There were no significant associations between ECT and subscales of the WoC. We found a dose-dependent relationship between marijuana and alcohol use with traditionally disengaged coping styles; a finding consistent with previous research. However, no significant findings were observed for ecstasy use and coping style. Limitations include the high comorbidity of ecstasy use with marijuana and alcohol in our sample