Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

School of Social Work

First Reader/Committee Chair

Appiah-Kubi, Jamal

Abstract

Adolescent marijuana use has become increasingly normalized within the United States, particularly as legalization policies expand and social attitudes continue to shift. While many adolescents report using marijuana for relaxation, socialization, or coping, early use has been associated with psychological, cognitive, and social challenges during a critical developmental period. Although prior research has examined either the motivations for marijuana use or its effects, limited studies have explored how adolescents’ motivations relate to psychological, cognitive, and social outcomes. Guided by self-determination theory, this study examines the motivational factors associated with adolescent marijuana use and explores how these motivations relate to psychological, cognitive, and social outcomes during adolescence and emerging adulthood. This proposed study will use a mixed-methods design combining surveys and semi-structured interviews with 150 adolescents ages 12 to 21. The survey will assess marijuana use patterns, motivational factors, and reported psychological, cognitive, and social outcomes. A subset of participants will complete interviews to explore lived experiences, peer influences, and coping-related motivations in greater depth. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive and correlational statistics, while qualitative data will be examined using thematic analysis. Findings may inform social work assessment and intervention strategies and contribute to policy discussions regarding adolescent substance use within a changing policy environment.

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