Cannabis Protective Behavioral Strategies: Moderating the Effects of Antecedents on Consequences?

The purpose of the present study was to replicate and extend tests of interaction effects between cannabis protective behavioral strategies use and a wide range of risk/protective factors for cannabis-related consequences. We recruited 2,226 college students (Mage = 20.28, SD = 3.37; 68.8% female; 75.4% white) from 10 universities throughout the U.S. who reported using cannabis in the past month to complete an online survey. Measures included in the survey assessed cannabis use, cannabis-related consequences, cannabis protective behavioral strategies use, and 35 risk/protective factors (including socio-demographic characteristics [e.g., biological sex]). Cannabis protective behavioral strategies use was negatively correlated with cannabis-related consequences while controlling for the risk/protective factors. Most importantly, 33% and 54% of the interaction effects tested were statistically significant, depending on the covariates entered into the model. The interaction effects had a consistent pattern such that the positive association between greater risk and cannabis-related consequences was weaker as cannabis protective behavioral strategies use increased. These findings suggest that none of these interaction effects are particularly specific for any given risk/protective factor. We draw parallels to research on alcohol protective behavioral strategies and offer suggestions for moving the cannabis protective behavioral strategies field forward.