How cannabis consumption relates to negative affect and expectancies: A cross-sectional survey of an international Spanish-speaking sample

Research suggests that those who use cannabis often hold more positive expectancies about its effects than those who do not use. Cannabis use is associated with negative affect, but how symptoms influence the link between expectancies and frequency is less understood. This study examined differences in expectancies and negative affect by cannabis use, residence, and gender, and tested whether negative affect moderates the relationship between expectancy and use among Spanish speakers, providing data from an understudied population. Native Spanish-speaking participants (N=421; M age = 30) were recruited nationally (U.S.) and internationally (Europe and the Americas). Of the sample, 49.4% were women, 53.2% U.S. residents, and 47.7% use cannabis regularly. Self-report questionnaires assessed past-week negative affect, cannabis expectancies, and frequency of use. Regular cannabis use was associated with higher positive and lower negative expectancies. Positive expectancies predicted increased use, and negative expectancies predicted decreased use. A significant interaction between positive expectancies and negative affect indicated that negative affect amplified the association between positive expectancy and use. Findings highlight the need to address beliefs and negative affect when examining cannabis use across populations.