Running head: Can Marijuana Make It Better?

Journal 2-3

Michael Pierangelino

Southern New Hampshire University

PSY-215-T2903 Abnormal Psychology

November 9th, 2018

Can Marijuana Make It Better?

Title of the article: Can Marijuana Make It Better? Prospective Effects of

Marijuana and Temperament on Risk for Anxiety and Depression

Article Purpose:
What is the purpose of the article?
The purpose of the article is to examine the Correlation Between Marijuana use, Anxiety, and
Depression. Testing for a period of 3 years with a test group of test subjects that have never had
marijuana prior to the study and abstained from all drugs and alcohol for the last 30 days for the
purpose and the purity of the results of these studies.

Hypothesis of the study or claims statements.

The Hypothesis of the study was to predict positive relationship between marijuana use, anxiety,
and depression. To both prove the positive significance of marijuana to reduce the symptoms of
anxiety and depression. Testing the positive impact on temperament dimensions.

What was the outcome(s) of the study, that is, the conclusions that the authors made as a result of
the APA format? The outcome is that the year one use of marijuana did diminish symptoms of
depression and anxiety in year two. There is no negative effect of marijuana on depression
regardless of frequency.

In other words, what claims do the authors make in the article? The authors claim that with so
little studies done on the correlation of Marijuana use, Anxiety, and Depression they are in
uncharted territory and intend to have the results of this study published so that fellow colleagues
might review its findings to further the cause. Potentially anxiolytic and euphoriant were
expected to moderate the relationship of marijuana use to positive association.

Previous studies findings:

What was the outcome of the study in conclusion for the authors as a result of the study
The authors note that there does not exist a field or case study that examines Marijuana, Anxiety,
and Depression in the dimensions they examine it effects on. Because of the lack of previous
studies that cover similar topics they were left to cut the path for others to follow. It is this author
personal conclusion is that Anxiety symptoms are reduced with a high frequency of marijuana
use.

Type of research design used in the study

Describe the type of research design (e.g. descriptive, correlational, experimental) that was used
in the study. Correlational study potential participants were invited via email on their university
account. All non-users of drugs and abstaining from all drugs and alcohol for the purity and
validity of the instant case.
Can Marijuana Make It Better?

What variables (factors) are being looked at as an influence on abnormal behavior?

If these variables or the relationship between these variables have been studied before, what does
the article indicate about the findings of previous studies? This study’s rarity should explain the
reason it is important that more people do evaluations of the positive affects when regarding anti-
depressants and bi-polar meds. The more these studies are done the more they will have
historical significance. The controlled variables in the study being the amount of marijuana they
smoked and amount of times a day.

In this particular study they are carving out their own path, because no one has studied
marijuana‘s effects on anxiety or depression. They are doing this comparative study to better
understand the effects and if positive then how effective is it in managing the symptoms?

Do you think the research in this article was conducted in an ethical manner? Why or why not?
I think the data collected in this study was ascertained in an ethical manner using the guidelines
of the APA Diagnostics research as our guide to evaluate ethical compliance. They were
respectful and empathetic when interacting with subjects and considered all their safety needs
and protection of their issues.

It was both ethical and professionally objective. I was pleased to see them take such concerns
about accuracy and validity of the results. They made good efforts to eliminate gender bias and
searching for the right blend of never sometimes all the time profile smokers to find the
representative mean of the right age group to test the mean in the most indicative dimensions.

Per APA Guidelines for research:

Per APA Guidelines research permits using primarily a descriptive analysis. Assessment of
correlation between marijuana anxiety and depression. Analyzing separately depression and
anxiety as well as level of marijuana intake.3 variable base groups with different frequency use.
Can Marijuana Make It Better?

Grunberg, V. A., Cordova, K. A., Bidwell, L. C., & Ito, T. A. (2015). Can marijuana make it

better? Prospective effects of marijuana and temperament on risk for anxiety and depression.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 29(3), 590–602. https://doi-

org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1037/adb0000109.supp (Supplemental)