Poor decision-making under known risk predicted escalating cannabis use in Hispanic adolescents
In a 2-year study of 401 predominantly Hispanic adolescents, worse performance on a decision-making task with explicit risk predicted greater escalation in cannabis use and related problems.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Baseline performance on the Game of Dice Task (explicit risk decision-making) predicted greater escalation in cannabis use frequency and cannabis-related problems over 2 years. Decision-making under ambiguous risk (Iowa Gambling Task) did not predict cannabis outcomes.
Key Numbers
401 adolescents (90% Hispanic), ages 14-17, five assessments over 2 years. GDT performance predicted cannabis use escalation (beta=0.200, p=0.008) and problem escalation (beta=0.388, p=0.035). IGT and Cups Task were not predictive.
How They Did This
Longitudinal study with five biannual assessments of 401 adolescents (90% Hispanic, ages 14-17 at baseline). Three decision-making tasks assessed (Iowa Gambling Task, Game of Dice Task, Cups Task). Latent growth curve modeling examined bidirectional associations.
Why This Research Matters
Understanding which cognitive abilities protect against or predict cannabis escalation in adolescence could inform targeted prevention programs, particularly in underrepresented Hispanic populations.
The Bigger Picture
Adolescent decision-making develops throughout the teen years. If specific cognitive abilities predict cannabis escalation, prevention programs could incorporate decision-making skill building as a protective factor.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Exploratory analyses requiring replication. Predominantly Hispanic sample in one geographic area. Cannabis use measures relied on self-report. The distinction between ambiguous and explicit risk tasks, while theoretically meaningful, may reflect other cognitive differences.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would decision-making training reduce cannabis escalation in at-risk adolescents?
- ?Do these cognitive-cannabis associations hold across different racial/ethnic groups?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Game of Dice Task performance predicted cannabis use escalation over 2 years (p=0.008)
- Evidence Grade:
- Longitudinal design with validated cognitive measures and repeated assessments. Exploratory analysis and single-population sample limit generalizability.
- Study Age:
- Published 2023.
- Original Title:
- An exploratory follow-up study of cannabis use and decision-making under various risk conditions within adolescence.
- Published In:
- Neuropsychology, 37(5), 544-556 (2023)
- Authors:
- Thompson, Erin L(2), Adams, Ashley R(2), Pacheco-Colón, Ileana(2), Lopez-Quintero, Catalina, Limia, Jorge M, Pulido, William, Granja, Karen, Paula, Dayana C, Gonzalez, Ingrid, Ross, J Megan, Duperrouzel, Jacqueline C, Hawes, Samuel W, Gonzalez, Raul
- Database ID:
- RTHC-04981
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you predict which teens will increase cannabis use?
This study found that teens who performed worse on a decision-making task involving known probabilities (the Game of Dice Task) were more likely to increase cannabis use and develop cannabis-related problems over 2 years. However, this is exploratory and needs replication.
What is the difference between ambiguous and explicit risk?
Ambiguous risk (like the Iowa Gambling Task) involves learning probabilities through trial and error. Explicit risk (like the Game of Dice Task) provides clear probability information upfront. This study found only explicit risk decision-making predicted cannabis escalation, suggesting different cognitive processes are involved.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-04981APA
Thompson, Erin L; Adams, Ashley R; Pacheco-Colón, Ileana; Lopez-Quintero, Catalina; Limia, Jorge M; Pulido, William; Granja, Karen; Paula, Dayana C; Gonzalez, Ingrid; Ross, J Megan; Duperrouzel, Jacqueline C; Hawes, Samuel W; Gonzalez, Raul. (2023). An exploratory follow-up study of cannabis use and decision-making under various risk conditions within adolescence.. Neuropsychology, 37(5), 544-556. https://doi.org/10.1037/neu0000897
MLA
Thompson, Erin L, et al. "An exploratory follow-up study of cannabis use and decision-making under various risk conditions within adolescence.." Neuropsychology, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1037/neu0000897
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "An exploratory follow-up study of cannabis use and decision-..." RTHC-04981. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/thompson-2023-an-exploratory-followup-study
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.