Association of childhood mental health and cognition with longitudinal patterns of cannabis problems in adolescence

Rachel Lees Thorne; Lindsey A Hines; Chloe Burke; Hannah J Jones; Tom P Freeman

doi:10.1017/S0033291725001175

Association of childhood mental health and cognition with longitudinal patterns of cannabis problems in adolescence

Rachel Lees Thorne, Lindsey A Hines, Chloe Burke, Hannah J Jones, Tom P Freeman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (SciVal)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a key developmental period associated with an increased risk of experiencing cannabis-related problems. Identifying modifiable risk factors prior to the onset of cannabis use could help inform preventative interventions.

METHOD: Analysis nested within a UK prospective birth cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Participants ( n = 6,049) provided data on cannabis use and symptoms of cannabis problems using the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test at two or more time points between the ages of 15-24 years. Risk factors included internalizing and externalizing disorders assessed at age 10 years, and cognitive function assessed at age 8 years via short-term memory, emotion recognition, divided attention, and listening comprehension.

RESULTS: Participants were mostly female (59.1%) and white (95.73%). Five patterns of adolescent cannabis use problems were identified using longitudinal latent class analysis: stable-no problems ( n = 5,157, 85%), early-onset high ( n = 104, 2%), late-onset high ( n = 153, 3%), early onset low ( n = 348, 6%), and late-onset low ( n = 287, 5%). In adjusted models, externalizing disorders were associated with early-onset high [RR, 95% CI: 2.82 (1.72, 4.63)], late-onset high [RR, 95% CI: 1.62 (1.02, 2.57)], and early-onset low [RR, 95% CI: 1.82 (1.30, 2.55)] compared to the stable-no problems class. Internalizing disorders were associated with late-onset low only [RR, 95% CI: .50 (.26, .96)], and short-term memory with late-onset high only [RR, 95% CI: 1.09 (1.01, 1.18) compared to the stable-no problems class.

CONCLUSIONS: Childhood externalizing disorders were consistently associated with increased risk of problematic patterns of cannabis use over adolescence, particularly early-onset and high levels of problems.

Original language	English
Article number	e129
Pages (from-to)	1-9
Journal	Psychological Medicine
Volume	55
Early online date	30 Apr 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291725001175
Publication status	Published - 30 Apr 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press.

Data Availability Statement

The supplementary material for this article can be found at http://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291725001175.

Acknowledgements

We are extremely grateful to all the families who took part in this study, the midwives for their help in recruiting them, and the whole ALSPAC team, which includes interviewers, computer and laboratory technicians, clerical workers, research scientists, volunteers, managers, receptionists, and nurses.

Funding

H.J. is supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. T.P.F. is supported by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/Y017560/1). This work was supported in part by grant MR/N0137941/1 for the GW4 BIOMED MRC DTP, awarded to the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter from the Medical Research Council (MRC)/UKRI.

Funders	Funder number
National Institute for Health Research
UK Research & Innovation	MR/Y017560/1
Medical Research Council	MR/N0137941/1

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Humans
Female
Adolescent
Male
Longitudinal Studies
Child
Marijuana Abuse/epidemiology
Young Adult
United Kingdom/epidemiology
Risk Factors
Prospective Studies
Cognition
Mental Health
CAST
Birth Cohort
ALSPAC
Longitudinal data
Latent class analysis
Epidemiology
Cannabis use

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Applied Psychology
Psychiatry and Mental health

Access to Document

10.1017/S0033291725001175Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{79b4f551c7ee40a38735ffa6c7dfe721,

title = "Association of childhood mental health and cognition with longitudinal patterns of cannabis problems in adolescence",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a key developmental period associated with an increased risk of experiencing cannabis-related problems. Identifying modifiable risk factors prior to the onset of cannabis use could help inform preventative interventions.METHOD: Analysis nested within a UK prospective birth cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Participants ( n = 6,049) provided data on cannabis use and symptoms of cannabis problems using the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test at two or more time points between the ages of 15-24 years. Risk factors included internalizing and externalizing disorders assessed at age 10 years, and cognitive function assessed at age 8 years via short-term memory, emotion recognition, divided attention, and listening comprehension. RESULTS: Participants were mostly female (59.1\%) and white (95.73\%). Five patterns of adolescent cannabis use problems were identified using longitudinal latent class analysis: stable-no problems ( n = 5,157, 85\%), early-onset high ( n = 104, 2\%), late-onset high ( n = 153, 3\%), early onset low ( n = 348, 6\%), and late-onset low ( n = 287, 5\%). In adjusted models, externalizing disorders were associated with early-onset high [RR, 95\% CI: 2.82 (1.72, 4.63)], late-onset high [RR, 95\% CI: 1.62 (1.02, 2.57)], and early-onset low [RR, 95\% CI: 1.82 (1.30, 2.55)] compared to the stable-no problems class. Internalizing disorders were associated with late-onset low only [RR, 95\% CI: .50 (.26, .96)], and short-term memory with late-onset high only [RR, 95\% CI: 1.09 (1.01, 1.18) compared to the stable-no problems class. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood externalizing disorders were consistently associated with increased risk of problematic patterns of cannabis use over adolescence, particularly early-onset and high levels of problems.",

keywords = "Humans, Female, Adolescent, Male, Longitudinal Studies, Child, Marijuana Abuse/epidemiology, Young Adult, United Kingdom/epidemiology, Risk Factors, Prospective Studies, Cognition, Mental Health, CAST, Birth Cohort, ALSPAC, Longitudinal data, Latent class analysis, Epidemiology, Cannabis use",

author = "\{Lees Thorne\}, Rachel and Hines, \{Lindsey A\} and Chloe Burke and Jones, \{Hannah J\} and Freeman, \{Tom P\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press.",

year = "2025",

month = apr,

day = "30",

doi = "10.1017/S0033291725001175",

language = "English",

volume = "55",

pages = "1--9",

journal = "Psychological Medicine",

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T1 - Association of childhood mental health and cognition with longitudinal patterns of cannabis problems in adolescence

AU - Lees Thorne, Rachel

AU - Hines, Lindsey A

AU - Burke, Chloe

AU - Jones, Hannah J

AU - Freeman, Tom P

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press.

PY - 2025/4/30

Y1 - 2025/4/30

N2 - BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a key developmental period associated with an increased risk of experiencing cannabis-related problems. Identifying modifiable risk factors prior to the onset of cannabis use could help inform preventative interventions.METHOD: Analysis nested within a UK prospective birth cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Participants ( n = 6,049) provided data on cannabis use and symptoms of cannabis problems using the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test at two or more time points between the ages of 15-24 years. Risk factors included internalizing and externalizing disorders assessed at age 10 years, and cognitive function assessed at age 8 years via short-term memory, emotion recognition, divided attention, and listening comprehension. RESULTS: Participants were mostly female (59.1%) and white (95.73%). Five patterns of adolescent cannabis use problems were identified using longitudinal latent class analysis: stable-no problems ( n = 5,157, 85%), early-onset high ( n = 104, 2%), late-onset high ( n = 153, 3%), early onset low ( n = 348, 6%), and late-onset low ( n = 287, 5%). In adjusted models, externalizing disorders were associated with early-onset high [RR, 95% CI: 2.82 (1.72, 4.63)], late-onset high [RR, 95% CI: 1.62 (1.02, 2.57)], and early-onset low [RR, 95% CI: 1.82 (1.30, 2.55)] compared to the stable-no problems class. Internalizing disorders were associated with late-onset low only [RR, 95% CI: .50 (.26, .96)], and short-term memory with late-onset high only [RR, 95% CI: 1.09 (1.01, 1.18) compared to the stable-no problems class. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood externalizing disorders were consistently associated with increased risk of problematic patterns of cannabis use over adolescence, particularly early-onset and high levels of problems.

AB - BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a key developmental period associated with an increased risk of experiencing cannabis-related problems. Identifying modifiable risk factors prior to the onset of cannabis use could help inform preventative interventions.METHOD: Analysis nested within a UK prospective birth cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Participants ( n = 6,049) provided data on cannabis use and symptoms of cannabis problems using the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test at two or more time points between the ages of 15-24 years. Risk factors included internalizing and externalizing disorders assessed at age 10 years, and cognitive function assessed at age 8 years via short-term memory, emotion recognition, divided attention, and listening comprehension. RESULTS: Participants were mostly female (59.1%) and white (95.73%). Five patterns of adolescent cannabis use problems were identified using longitudinal latent class analysis: stable-no problems ( n = 5,157, 85%), early-onset high ( n = 104, 2%), late-onset high ( n = 153, 3%), early onset low ( n = 348, 6%), and late-onset low ( n = 287, 5%). In adjusted models, externalizing disorders were associated with early-onset high [RR, 95% CI: 2.82 (1.72, 4.63)], late-onset high [RR, 95% CI: 1.62 (1.02, 2.57)], and early-onset low [RR, 95% CI: 1.82 (1.30, 2.55)] compared to the stable-no problems class. Internalizing disorders were associated with late-onset low only [RR, 95% CI: .50 (.26, .96)], and short-term memory with late-onset high only [RR, 95% CI: 1.09 (1.01, 1.18) compared to the stable-no problems class. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood externalizing disorders were consistently associated with increased risk of problematic patterns of cannabis use over adolescence, particularly early-onset and high levels of problems.

KW - Humans

KW - Female

KW - Adolescent

KW - Male

KW - Longitudinal Studies

KW - Child

KW - Marijuana Abuse/epidemiology

KW - Young Adult

KW - United Kingdom/epidemiology

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Prospective Studies

KW - Cognition

KW - Mental Health

KW - CAST

KW - Birth Cohort

KW - ALSPAC

KW - Longitudinal data

KW - Latent class analysis

KW - Epidemiology

KW - Cannabis use

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U2 - 10.1017/S0033291725001175

DO - 10.1017/S0033291725001175

M3 - Article

C2 - 40302648

SN - 1469-8978

VL - 55

SP - 1

EP - 9

JO - Psychological Medicine

JF - Psychological Medicine

M1 - e129

ER -

Association of childhood mental health and cognition with longitudinal patterns of cannabis problems in adolescence

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Acknowledgements

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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