Emotional dysregulation: Association with coping-oriented marijuana use motives among current marijuana users

The present investigation, conducted between 2005 and 2006, examined the relation between emotion dysregulation and motives for marijuana use among 136 (71 women; M(age) = 20.61 years) young adult marijuana smokers. As expected, after covarying for theoretically relevant variables, the DERS-total score was significantly related to marijuana use coping motives, but no other motives for marijuana use. Further analysis indicated that the Non-acceptance of Emotional Responses subscale of the DERS accounted for the DERS-total score effect. Results are discussed in relation to better understanding the role of coping-motivated marijuana use within the context of an emotional dysregulation explanatory framework. Limitations of the study are noted.