Associations Between Alcohol and Cannabis Use and Pain Among College Student-Athletes

• Published in: Substance use & misuse Vol. 59; no. 4; p. 567
• Main Authors: Williams, Callon M, Mastroleo, Nadine R, Brimhall, Kim C, Zale, Emily L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 2024
• Subjects: Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Athletes; Cannabis; Chronic Pain; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Students; Universities; alcohol; cannabis; pain catastrophizing; pain
• ISSN: 1532-2491
• DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2023.2287239

: Pain motivates alcohol and cannabis use, with evidence that pain catastrophizing (i.e., ruminative exaggeration of pain) mediates these associations. Student-athletes represent a unique population who engage in riskier substance use, experience more substance-related consequences, and are more likely to develop chronic pain compared to non-athletes. : This study examined relationships between pain, catastrophizing, alcohol and cannabis use and consequences. Student-athletes from two Division I universities (N = 549; 51% female) completed a cross-sectional survey. Moderated mediation tested the conditional indirect effect of pain catastrophizing on associations between pain and alcohol- and cannabis- use and consequences, separately, with sex moderating the a and b paths. : There was a significant direct effect between pain and alcohol-related consequences (b = 0.11, p = .008). Pain and pain catastrophizing were positively associated in all four models (bs = 0.68-0.72, ps <.001), and this relationship was stronger among female than male athletes. No other direct or conditional indirect effects were observed. : Student-athletes experiencing pain report more alcohol-related consequences, and pain catastrophizing may be particularly relevant for student-athletes with greater pain. Future research should examine other factors proposed by theoretical models, such as negative affect, while focusing on athletes with more significant pain (e.g., injured athletes).