Summary
Introduction:
This article examines the relationship between sensation seeking and adolescent e-cigarette use, specifically exploring whether this personality dimension is associated with e-cigarette use and whether the relationship is moderated by gender, race/ethnicity, or peer substance use. The study uses data from the 2017 and 2018 Monitoring the Future (MTF) studies, which surveyed 8th-10th grade students about past 12-month e-cigarette use and sensation seeking.
Key Points:
* The study finds that sensation seeking is positively associated with all four types of e-cigarette use: nicotine only, marijuana only, flavoring only, and nicotine and marijuana.
* The association between sensation seeking and e-cigarette use is not moderated by gender, race/ethnicity, or peer substance use.
* The MTF survey did not include a question about friends' e-cigarette use, which is a limitation of the study.
* The study also did not distinguish between the use of nicotine and cannabis oil, which is an important distinction to make.
* The analysis suggests that sensation seeking consistently predicts several types of adolescent e-cigarette use.
* Research using longitudinal data and measures of e-cigarette use by family members and friends is needed to better understand this association.
Main Message:
The main message of this article is that sensation seeking is an important factor to consider in adolescent e-cigarette use. The study finds that sensation seeking is consistently associated with several types of e-cigarette use, and this relationship is not moderated by gender, race/ethnicity, or peer substance use. however, more research is needed to better understand this association, particularly the distinction between the use of nicotine and cannabis oil. Overall, the findings suggest that sensation seeking should be considered when developing interventions and policies aimed at reducing adolescent e-cigarette use.
Citation
hoffmann JP. Sensation seeking and adolescent e-cigarette use. Journal of Substance Use. Published online December 11, 2020. doi:10.1080/14659891.2020.1856209
