How stressful moments affect drinking and cannabis use in young adults
Official title: Effects of Personally Relevant Stressful Experiences on Alcohol and Cannabis Use
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11383564 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study with 18-year-olds to understand how personally stressful experiences influence how much they drink and use cannabis, and how worries and coping help explain that link.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $504,004 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA058626-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11383564 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are 18-year-olds who are at risk for or currently using alcohol or cannabis and are willing to report stress experiences and substance use.
✕Less likely to help
Participants who do not experience personally relevant stress or who are not using alcohol or cannabis may see limited relevance.
What this research studies
This project follows young adults to see how personal stress from everyday life affects their use of alcohol and cannabis, including when they use both substances together. It will look at indirect factors like acute stress, rumination, and motives for coping to explain why stress might lead to more use. The study uses careful measurements to try and establish if stress causes changes in drinking and cannabis patterns, beyond what retrospective reports have shown. Results could offer new ideas for preventing risky substance use by addressing stress and coping strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding how stress drives drug use could lead to better prevention and intervention approaches for young adults.
How similar studies have gone: Some studies have linked stress to substance use, but few have established causal pathways with rigorous designs; this work aims to fill that gap.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lui, P. Priscilla — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Lui, P. Priscilla
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.