Grit and Illness Acceptance Protect Against Cannabis Use in College Students With Type 1 Diabetes
A study of college students with type 1 diabetes found 41% used marijuana, with depression increasing use risk while grit and illness acceptance were strongly protective.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
41.3% reported marijuana use. Depressive symptoms associated with use (AOR 1.31). Grit strongly protective (AOR 0.32). Illness acceptance also protective (AOR 0.96).
Key Numbers
84% used alcohol; 41.3% used marijuana; grit AOR=0.32; depression AOR=1.31; illness acceptance AOR=0.96.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional web-based survey of college students with T1D. Validated instruments for substance use, depression, anxiety, illness acceptance, and grit.
Why This Research Matters
Identifying modifiable protective factors like grit and illness acceptance provides actionable targets for intervention in chronically ill young adults.
The Bigger Picture
Psychological resilience factors are more protective than social support, challenging assumptions about helping young people with chronic illness.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design. Social media recruitment. Self-reported data. Small sample.
Questions This Raises
- ?Could grit-building interventions reduce cannabis use in chronically ill young adults?
- ?Does cannabis use worsen diabetes management?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Validated instruments with appropriate controls, but cross-sectional design limits generalizability.
- Study Age:
- 2025 study of substance use in college youth with T1D.
- Original Title:
- Psychosocial correlates of alcohol and substance use in college youth with type 1 diabetes.
- Published In:
- Journal of pediatric psychology, 50(2), 197-204 (2025)
- Authors:
- Tsevat, Rebecca K, Weitzman, Elissa R(5), Wisk, Lauren E(4)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07829
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do college students with diabetes use more marijuana?
41% reported use. Grit was strongly protective, reducing odds by 68%.
What protects against substance use in chronically ill youth?
Grit — perseverance and passion for long-term goals — was the strongest protective factor.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07829APA
Tsevat, Rebecca K; Weitzman, Elissa R; Wisk, Lauren E. (2025). Psychosocial correlates of alcohol and substance use in college youth with type 1 diabetes.. Journal of pediatric psychology, 50(2), 197-204. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsae103
MLA
Tsevat, Rebecca K, et al. "Psychosocial correlates of alcohol and substance use in college youth with type 1 diabetes.." Journal of pediatric psychology, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsae103
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Psychosocial correlates of alcohol and substance use in coll..." RTHC-07829. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/tsevat-2025-psychosocial-correlates-of-alcohol
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.