Cannabis Use Motives and Cannabis-Related Outcomes: A Moderated Moderation Analysis of Protective Behavioral Strategies and Sex

Different motives for cannabis use have been associated with varying patterns of use and consequences, but findings across studies remain inconsistent. This study prospectively examined how these motives predict cannabis-related outcomes and tested whether Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS) and sex moderate these associations. We also examined whether the moderating effect of PBS varied by sex. Participants were 462 young adults reporting past-month cannabis use (Mage = 20.98; 61.3% male) who completed surveys at two time points, three months apart. Coping motives were associated with cannabis use frequency. PBS use weakened the relationship between social and expansion motives and the quantity of cannabis consumed. Among males, PBS buffered the relationships between expansion motives and cannabis quantity, and between conformity motives and cannabis-related consequences. These findings highlight the role of PBS in reducing risks associated with specific cannabis motives and suggest potential benefits of targeting PBS use in interventions, particularly for men.