High social anxiety in childhood predicted cannabis use in early adulthood
Following 701 individuals from age 10 to 22, those with the highest trajectory of social anxiety symptoms through adolescence were significantly more likely to use cannabis in adulthood, but not alcohol.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Three social anxiety trajectories emerged: high increasing (15.5%), moderate (37.3%), and low (47.2%). The high increasing group predicted multiple adult mental disorders with striking odds ratios: SAD (OR 15.74), GAD (OR 13.08), depressive episode (OR 19.75), agoraphobia (OR 16.39). The high increasing group also predicted cannabis use but not alcohol use in adulthood.
Key Numbers
701 participants tracked ages 10-22. Three trajectories: high (15.5%), moderate (37.3%), low (47.2%). High group ORs: SAD 15.74, GAD 13.08, depression 19.75, PD 8.43, agoraphobia 16.39, OCD 3.49. High group predicted cannabis but not alcohol use.
How They Did This
Longitudinal study following 701 individuals from ages 10-18 (social anxiety trajectories) to ages 19-22 (adult mental disorder diagnoses and substance use). Growth mixture modeling identified trajectory groups.
Why This Research Matters
The specificity of the cannabis finding (social anxiety predicted cannabis but not alcohol use) suggests that socially anxious youth may specifically seek out cannabis as a coping mechanism, not substances generally.
The Bigger Picture
If childhood social anxiety specifically predicts adult cannabis use, early treatment of social anxiety could potentially prevent not only mental health disorders but also cannabis use problems.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported social anxiety symptoms. Cannabis and alcohol use measured in early adulthood only. High trajectory group was relatively small (15.5%). Attrition over 12+ years of follow-up.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does treating childhood social anxiety reduce later cannabis use?
- ?Why does social anxiety predict cannabis but not alcohol use, given that alcohol is also commonly used for social situations?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- High social anxiety predicted cannabis use but NOT alcohol use
- Evidence Grade:
- Long-term longitudinal study with clinical diagnoses as outcomes, strong statistical methodology.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022.
- Original Title:
- Elevated social anxiety symptoms across childhood and adolescence predict adult mental disorders and cannabis use.
- Published In:
- Comprehensive psychiatry, 115, 152302 (2022)
- Authors:
- Krygsman, Amanda, Vaillancourt, Tracy
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03983
Evidence Hierarchy
Follows a group of people over time to track how outcomes develop.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does childhood anxiety lead to cannabis use?
In this 12-year study, children with the highest social anxiety trajectories were significantly more likely to use cannabis in early adulthood, while alcohol use was not predicted by social anxiety.
How strongly did social anxiety predict adult mental health problems?
The high social anxiety group had dramatically elevated odds: 15.7x for social anxiety disorder, 19.8x for depressive episodes, and 16.4x for agoraphobia in adulthood.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03983APA
Krygsman, Amanda; Vaillancourt, Tracy. (2022). Elevated social anxiety symptoms across childhood and adolescence predict adult mental disorders and cannabis use.. Comprehensive psychiatry, 115, 152302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2022.152302
MLA
Krygsman, Amanda, et al. "Elevated social anxiety symptoms across childhood and adolescence predict adult mental disorders and cannabis use.." Comprehensive psychiatry, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2022.152302
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Elevated social anxiety symptoms across childhood and adoles..." RTHC-03983. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/krygsman-2022-elevated-social-anxiety-symptoms
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.