Scientists Created a Tool to Measure What People Expect When They Quit Cannabis | Research

The takeaway

A new 46-item questionnaire identified six categories of cessation expectations among regular cannabis users: improved motivation, fewer authority problems, better relationships, worsened mood, less fun, and appetite changes.

Read this if you use cannabis regularly and want to understand the range of things people expect when they consider quitting.

Six cessation expectation categories: motivation, authority, relationships, mood, fun, and appetite

What the researchers found

This study developed and validated the Marijuana Cessation Expectancies Questionnaire (MCEQ), the first tool specifically designed to measure what regular cannabis users expect to happen if they quit or reduce their use.

Six distinct expectation factors emerged from the analysis of 151 regular marijuana users. Three were positive expectations: improved performance/motivation, fewer problems with authority, and better interpersonal functioning. Three were negative expectations: worsened mood states, less fun experiences, and changes in appetite/weight.

The MCEQ showed good internal consistency and strong concurrent validity with existing measures. Importantly, it predicted actual change behavior: users' cessation expectations were associated with whether they had previously attempted to quit, how much benefit they saw in reducing use, and how important they rated making a change.

The tool provides insights beyond traditional use expectancies (why people use) by capturing cessation expectancies (what they think will happen when they stop).

Why it matters

Understanding what people expect from quitting is clinically valuable because expectations influence behavior. If a user expects only negative outcomes from cessation, they are less likely to attempt it. This tool helps clinicians identify and address specific beliefs that may be barriers to change.

The numbers in context

46 items, 6 factors, 61% variance explained. Internal consistency: alpha = 0.86 (full scale), 0.60-0.89 (subscales). 151 regular users averaging use on 64.7% of past 60 days.

How the study worked

Two-phase development: content validity analysis from free responses of 94 participants to generate items, followed by administration of the 46-item questionnaire to 151 non-treatment-seeking regular marijuana users (average use on 64.7% of past 60 days). Exploratory factor analysis identified six factors accounting for 61% of variance.

What this study cannot tell us

Non-treatment-seeking sample may not represent those most in need of cessation support. Cross-sectional validation does not confirm the tool predicts actual cessation outcomes over time. The sample was relatively young (mean age 21.4) and may not represent older users.

How to read the evidence

Initial psychometric validation study. Preliminary because the tool requires further validation in diverse populations and treatment-seeking samples.

When this study was published

Published in 2017.

The bigger picture

Cannabis cessation interventions have lagged behind alcohol and tobacco programs in part because of limited assessment tools. The MCEQ fills this gap by providing clinicians with a structured way to understand individual barriers to quitting.

Questions still open

Do cessation expectations change as cannabis use disorder severity increases? Would addressing specific negative expectations in therapy improve cessation outcomes? How do expectations differ between recreational and medical users?

Common questions

What do cannabis users expect when they quit?

This study found six main expectations: improved motivation and productivity, fewer legal/authority problems, better relationships (positive), but also worse mood, less fun, and appetite/weight changes (negative). Both positive and negative expectations influence the decision to try quitting.

How can this help people quit cannabis?

By identifying specific negative expectations (like worrying about mood or losing enjoyment), therapists can directly address these beliefs, provide coping strategies, and offer realistic expectations about what cessation actually involves.

Read the original research

Development and initial validation of a marijuana cessation expectancies questionnaire.

Drug and alcohol dependence, 177, 163-170

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Metrik, Jane; Farris, Samantha G; Aston, Elizabeth R; Kahler, Christopher W. (2017). Development and initial validation of a marijuana cessation expectancies questionnaire.. Drug and alcohol dependence, 177, 163-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.04.005