Link:
Marijuana Use and Depression
Summary
The study I will be using for my
first article review is called Marijuana
Use and Depression which was conducted by Brian E. Green and Christian
Ritter. I will use this study to help
test my hypothesis: Using marijuana helps to treat for stress and
depression.
The goal of the study was to find an
association between using marijuana and adult depressive symptomatology. Variables being examined included “age of
first marijuana initiation (values = age),” “frequency of current marijuana use
(values = low, medium, high),” “the use of other licit and illicit drugs
(values = yes and no),” and “whether marijuana was used to cope with problems
(values = yes and no).”
Because of the differing reports of
past studies on the effects of marijuana and depression – from showing that the
effects of marijuana have little to no effect on depression to showing that
marijuana users are more likely to experience symptoms of poor mental health –
this study attempts to resolve the differing findings by exploring numerous
aspects of marijuana usage.
The variables used come from the
Young Men and Drugs Survey (n = 1,941).
Participants in the study were born between the years of 1944-1954.
Because the study relied on a survey, the observational method was used in lieu
of an interventionist one.
The sample was selected by using a
“multistage stratified random sample of men” which was drawn from the Selective
Service System. The data was then
collected using face-to-face interviews.
Participants were roughly between the ages of 65 and 75. Measures used in the study include marijuana
use, educational attainment, employment and marital status, other drug use, and
depression.
Results were shown through tables.
