Life goal appraisal and marijuana use among college students

• Published in: Addictive behaviors Vol. 37; no. 7; pp. 797 - 802
• Main Authors: Wright, Leslie L, Palfai, Tibor P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2012; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; College student; College students; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug use; Female; Goal appraisal; Goals; Humans; Male; Marijuana; Marijuana Abuse - epidemiology; Marijuana Abuse - psychology; Marijuana Smoking - epidemiology; Marijuana Smoking - psychology; Motivation; Personal projects; Psychiatry; Regression analysis; Smoking - epidemiology; Social Environment; Students - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Universities; Young Adult; Goal appraisal; College student; Marijuana; Personal projects; Motivation
• ISSN: 0306-4603; 1873-6327
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2012.02.020

Abstract The current study was designed to examine the motivational context of marijuana use among college students using idiographic and nomothetic goal assessment approaches. One hundred and ninety-eight introductory psychology students completed a questionnaire that included measures of life goals and marijuana use behavior. Forty-three percent of students surveyed reported the use of marijuana in the past 90 days. Students rated a set of five personally salient, self-generated and five normative life goals on a series of dimensions using the personal projects methodology (Little, 1983). Goal meaning and goal efficacy ratings for each type of assessment were studied in relation to the likelihood of marijuana use and the frequency of use among current users. Logistic regression analyses showed that levels of meaning for self-generated life goals and normative academic life goals were independent predictors of whether students used marijuana in the past 90 days. Students who reported high levels of meaning were less likely to have used marijuana in the past 90 days. For students who used marijuana, higher meaning ratings related to involvement in groups/organizations and fitness were correlated with decreased frequency of use. Moreover, ratings of efficacy related to self-generated goals were associated with less frequent use among smokers. These results suggest that meaning related to life goal pursuit may be associated with students' decisions to use marijuana. Potential implications for interventions are discussed.