Unique prediction of cannabis use severity and behaviors by delay discounting and behavioral economic demand

• Published in: Behavioural processes Vol. 140; pp. 33 - 40
• Main Authors: Strickland, Justin C., Lile, Joshua A., Stoops, William W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.07.2017; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; alcohols; Behavioral economics; Cannabis; Case-Control Studies; Crowdsourcing; Crowdsourcing - methods; Delay Discounting; Demand curve; Demand curves; Drug; Drug abuse; Drug use; drugs; economic demand; Economics, Behavioral; Ethanol - pharmacology; Female; Humans; laboratory techniques; Male; Marijuana; Marijuana Smoking - psychology; Middle Aged; prediction; products and commodities; Regression Analysis; Substance use; Young Adult; Crowdsourcing; Drug; Substance use; Demand curve; Behavioral economics
• ISSN: 0376-6357; 1872-8308; 1872-8308
• DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.03.017

•Demand and delay discounting variables were measured in an online sample.•Cannabis users and controls did not differ in demand or delay discounting.•Regression models tested unique associations with cannabis use behaviors.•Cannabis delay discounting uniquely predicted cannabis use severity.•Cannabis demand uniquely predicted cannabis use frequency and quantity. Few studies have simultaneously evaluated delay discounting and behavioral economic demand to determine their unique contribution to drug use. A recent study in cannabis users found that monetary delay discounting uniquely predicted cannabis dependence symptoms, whereas cannabis demand uniquely predicted use frequency. This study sought to replicate and extend this research by evaluating delay discounting and behavioral economic demand measures for multiple commodities and including a use quantity measure. Amazon.com’s Mechanical Turk was used to sample individuals reporting recent cannabis use (n=64) and controls (n=72). Participants completed measures of monetary delay discounting as well as alcohol and cannabis delay discounting and demand. Cannabis users and controls did not differ on monetary delay discounting or alcohol delay discounting and demand. Among cannabis users, regression analyses indicated that cannabis delay discounting uniquely predicted use severity, whereas cannabis demand uniquely predicted use frequency and quantity. These effects remained significant after controlling for other delay discounting and demand measures. This research replicates previous outcomes relating delay discounting and demand with cannabis use and extends them by accounting for the contribution of multiple commodities. This research also demonstrates the ability of online crowdsourcing methods to complement traditional human laboratory techniques.