College Students Who Feel They Don't Belong Use More Cannabis, But Mental Health Explains Why
Lack of university belonging was linked to more cannabis use among college students, but the connection was explained by depression and anxiety symptoms rather than being a direct effect.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
About 50% of college students reported past-month cannabis use. Lack of university belonging was associated with higher depression/anxiety symptoms, which in turn were associated with more frequent cannabis use. University belonging had no direct effect on cannabis use after accounting for mental health symptoms.
Key Numbers
327 students surveyed. ~50% reported past-month cannabis use. Mean age 19.03. University belonging predicted depression/anxiety, which predicted cannabis frequency. Direct path from belonging to cannabis was not significant.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional online survey of 327 college students (mean age 19, 53% female, 84% White) at a rural northeastern university.
Why This Research Matters
This suggests that campus cannabis use may be better addressed through mental health support and building social connections than through drug-focused interventions alone. Improving students' sense of belonging could reduce both mental health symptoms and associated cannabis use.
The Bigger Picture
As cannabis legalization expands and campus cannabis use rises, understanding the psychological drivers of use becomes more important for universities. This finding aligns with broader research showing that social connectedness protects against substance use.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot establish causation. Predominantly White sample from a single rural university limits generalizability. Self-report measures may be biased. The mediation model cannot rule out reverse causation.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would interventions that improve university belonging actually reduce cannabis use?
- ?Do these patterns differ at urban universities or more racially diverse campuses?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 50% of students reported past-month cannabis use
- Evidence Grade:
- Small cross-sectional sample from a single university with limited demographic diversity.
- Study Age:
- 2026 study.
- Original Title:
- University belonging and college cannabis use at a northeast university: The role of depression and anxiety symptoms.
- Published In:
- Journal of American college health : J of ACH, 1-10 (2026)
- Authors:
- Rathod, K, Wagner, A, Broadaway, T, Tesi, A, Goodhines, P A
- Database ID:
- RTHC-08573
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why do college students use cannabis?
This study suggests that feeling disconnected from university contributes to depression and anxiety, which in turn drives cannabis use. Addressing belonging and mental health may be more effective than targeting cannabis use directly.
Is campus cannabis use increasing?
About half of students in this sample reported past-month use, consistent with broader trends showing rising cannabis use among college-age adults.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-08573APA
Rathod, K; Wagner, A; Broadaway, T; Tesi, A; Goodhines, P A. (2026). University belonging and college cannabis use at a northeast university: The role of depression and anxiety symptoms.. Journal of American college health : J of ACH, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2026.2626144
MLA
Rathod, K, et al. "University belonging and college cannabis use at a northeast university: The role of depression and anxiety symptoms.." Journal of American college health : J of ACH, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2026.2626144
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "University belonging and college cannabis use at a northeast..." RTHC-08573. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/rathod-2026-university-belonging-and-college
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.