Moreover, to the best of the Authors’ knowledge, no literature data are available on the complex relationship between anxious-depressive symptoms, rumination, CPBS, CRSE and cannabis use outcomes. Specifically, existing studies did not test double-mediation models on the relationship between anxious-depressive symptoms and cannabis use outcomes via rumination and constructs of cannabis use regulation, such as CPBS and CRSE. Testing indirect effects in such, more comprehensive mediation models might contribute to gain a better understanding of joint pathways of rumination and reduced self-control over cannabis use on the relationships between anxious-depressive symptoms and outcomes of cannabis use . Namely, based on previous literature findings, it might be possible that anxious-depressive symptoms and maladaptive responses to these symptoms can contribute to depletion of self-regulation capacities over cannabis use which in turn can increase the levels of cannabis use frequency and harmful cannabis use . The present study aimed to test a double-mediation model with the mediating effects of brooding, grow lights for cannabis reflection, NU, CPBS and CRSE on the relationships between anxious-depressive symptoms and frequency of cannabis use and harmful cannabis use .
It was assumed that higher levels of anxious-depressive symptoms would be associated with higher rates of brooding and NU which in turn contribute to lower rates of CRSE and CPBS which subsequently lead to more frequent and harmful cannabis use. Alternatively, it was also hypothesized that anxious-depressive symptoms would show a positive relationship with reflection which in turn lead to higher levels of CRSE and CPBS which in turn contribute to less frequent and harmful cannabis use. To the Authors’ best knowledge, this is the first time that a comprehensive mediation model was tested which simultaneously covers anxious-depressive symptoms, rumination, NU, multiple constructs of cannabis use regulation and outcomes of cannabis use . However, it is important to emphasize that this proposed mediation model was built only on theoretical considerations and the suggested mediated links can be deceptive as the cross-sectional design of this study did not allow to specifically examine the temporal directions between the variables. Existing empirical findings showed that cannabis use disorder is positively associated with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Causal pathways were suggested to account for these co-occurrences, such as the self-medication or the cannabis-induced models. Other exploratory models, such as the allostatic hypothesis, highlight the dominant function of anxious-depressive symptoms in the psychopathology of more severe forms of substance use disorders via negative reinforcement motivational processes .
Emotion regulation strategies – which can be defined as “processes by which individuals influence which emotions they have, grow cannabis when they have them, and how they experience and express these emotions”as transdiagnostic constructs can explain the associations between anxious-depressive symptoms and problematic substance use .The present sample was based on a study using cross-sectional design, non-representative, convenience sampling and online questionnaires. Participants were recruited on the social media site of Facebook. The online recruitment was performed in thematic, illicit drug use-related Facebook pages and groups. These thematic pages and groups had content on the psychological, medical, social and political aspects of illicit drug use as well as on personal experiences of using cannabis and/or other illicit drugs . That is, it was assumed that the self-selection of those individuals was presented in the study who show interest in illicit drug use-related topics and who have high motivation for using cannabis and other illicit drugs.
Moreover, it might be possible that some individuals were followers of multiple thematic groups and pages. Thus, individuals who used more frequently.The invitation to participate in the study was shared with the followers in a post in each thematic group and page. The invitation posts provided the names of the principal investigators, brief descriptions about the study aims and about the conditions of the participation and the link of the online questionnaire. The research protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of ELTE E¨otv¨os Lor´and University, Budapest, Hungary . Participation was anonymous and voluntary, and informed consent regarding the study aims and terms of participation was also required from the participants. In total 1359 individuals were included in the sample.