Abstract

This study examines the impact of two types of trauma exposure, mistreatment by an adult as a child and exposure to stressful life events as an adolescent, and their impact on marijuana use as an adolescent and emerging adult and marijuana dependence as an adult. This study also investigates the mediating role of depressive symptoms on the relationship between trauma exposure and marijuana use and dependence. The AddHealth dataset, a nationally representative and longitudinal dataset, was used to assess these relationships. Results show that both types of trauma predict marijuana use and dependence. Results also show that there are indirect effects through depressive symptoms. These findings have implications on children and adolescents who are exposed to trauma, parents, teachers, and those working in the fields of mental health and therapy.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Marriage, Family, and Human Development

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2017-07-01

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd9447

Keywords

trauma, marijuana use, dependence, depression, depressive symptoms

Language

english

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