Childhood Trauma Predicted Early Cannabis Use Escalation in Adolescents
Among 715 Dutch adolescents tracked from age 16 to 22, childhood trauma was associated with earlier initiation and faster escalation of cannabis use, but differences in stress physiology did not explain the connection.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Traumatic experiences before age 16 increased the risk of cannabis use trajectories characterized by early initiation and escalation, as well as consistently low-level use and later-escalation patterns, compared to no use. However, acute neuroendocrine stress reactivity (heart rate, HRV, cortisol) did not mediate this relationship.
Key Numbers
N=715 from TRAILS cohort. Trauma assessed up to age 16. Cannabis trajectories tracked from ~16 to ~22. Trauma was associated with early-initiation/escalation, low-level use, and later-escalation trajectories. No mediation by heart rate, HF-HRV, PEP, or cortisol reactivity.
How They Did This
Longitudinal data from the TRAILS cohort study (N=715). Traumatic experiences assessed up to age 16. Stress reactivity measured via standardized stress test at age 16. Cannabis use trajectories modeled from age 16 to 22. Cox proportional hazards and growth mixture models used.
Why This Research Matters
The link between childhood trauma and substance use is well established, but why it happens remains unclear. This study tested a leading theory (that trauma alters stress physiology, which drives substance use) and found it did not hold up, pushing researchers to look for other mechanisms.
The Bigger Picture
If stress physiology does not explain why traumatized youth start using cannabis earlier and escalate faster, other pathways must be involved. Candidates include psychological factors (coping strategies, emotion regulation), social factors (peer networks, family environment), and epigenetic changes from early adversity.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single cohort from the Netherlands may not generalize to other populations. Stress reactivity measured at one time point. Self-reported trauma and substance use are subject to recall and reporting biases. Cannabis trajectories may not capture all relevant patterns of use.
Questions This Raises
- ?What mechanisms beyond stress physiology explain the trauma-to-cannabis-use pathway
- ?Whether interventions targeting emotion regulation rather than stress physiology would be more effective for trauma-exposed youth
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Prospective longitudinal cohort with objective stress measures and validated trajectory modeling, though single-cohort design and self-reported outcomes limit generalizability.
- Study Age:
- Published 2025, using TRAILS cohort data (Netherlands).
- Original Title:
- The associations between traumatic experiences and trajectories of substance use in adolescence and young adulthood - the role of acute neuroendocrine and subjective stress reactivity.
- Published In:
- Psychoneuroendocrinology, 182, 107642 (2025)
- Authors:
- Schmengler, Heiko, Hartman, Catharina A(3), Marceau, Kristine, Giletta, Matteo, Peeters, Margot
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07594
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the researchers think stress physiology would explain the link?
A leading theory suggests trauma dysregulates the body's stress response, and people with altered stress physiology may use substances to self-regulate. This study tested that theory and found it did not hold, suggesting other pathways are more important.
Does childhood trauma always lead to substance use?
No. While trauma significantly increases the risk, many trauma-exposed youth do not develop problematic substance use. Protective factors like social support, effective coping skills, and access to mental health care can buffer this risk.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07594APA
Schmengler, Heiko; Hartman, Catharina A; Marceau, Kristine; Giletta, Matteo; Peeters, Margot. (2025). The associations between traumatic experiences and trajectories of substance use in adolescence and young adulthood - the role of acute neuroendocrine and subjective stress reactivity.. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 182, 107642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107642
MLA
Schmengler, Heiko, et al. "The associations between traumatic experiences and trajectories of substance use in adolescence and young adulthood - the role of acute neuroendocrine and subjective stress reactivity.." Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107642
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "The associations between traumatic experiences and trajector..." RTHC-07594. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/schmengler-2025-the-associations-between-traumatic
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.