Delta-8- and Delta-9-THC Use Frequency, Use Motives, and Mental Health Outcomes

Use of delta-8-THC ("delta-8") has proliferated after the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. Yet, research on the mental health effects of this increasingly popular cannabinoid is scant. The current study sought to examine mental health correlates of delta-8 use frequency and motives, investigate whether delta-8 use motives predict use frequency, and compare use motives and problems between delta-8 and traditional cannabis. Participants consisted of 363 self-reported delta-8 users who completed measures of delta-8 use frequency, motives, and problems that were adapted from comparable measures for cannabis, as well as measures of mental health outcomes. Delta-8 use frequency was unrelated to use problems and other mental health outcomes. Delta-8 use frequency was positively associated with social and coping motives, but negatively associated with enhancement and conformity motives. Coping and conformity motives were associated with greater depression, anxiety, insomnia, and delta-8 use problems. Participants were more likely to report coping and enhancement motives for delta-8 use compared to cannabis use, but less likely to report conformity motives. Further longitudinal research is needed to assess causality for associations between delta-8 use frequency, use motives, and mental health outcomes.

Minority stress, repetitive negative thinking, and internalizing symptoms in sexual minorites: Does cognitive content matter?

BACKGROUND

The Psychological Mediation Framework theorizes that repetitive negative thinking (RNT) mediates the relationship between minority stress and mental health, and this theory has been consistently supported by previous research. Yet, it is unclear whether the process or content of RNT is more important in the development of internalizing symptoms in sexual minorities. Consequently, the goal of the current study was to use structural equation modeling to determine whether there are significant indirect effects of repetitive negative thought content in the relationship between minority stress and internalizing psychopathology.

METHODS

Measures of RNT, internalizing symptoms, and proximal minority stress were completed online by 205 cisgender sexual minority adults. Structural equation modeling was used to examine indirect effects of proximal stress on internalizing symptoms through content-independent RNT, depressive rumination, and sexual orientation-related rumination.

RESULTS

Significant direct effects of proximal minority stress on internalizing symptoms were observed. Indirect effects of proximal stress on internalizing symptoms were observed for content-independent RNT and depressive rumination, but not sexual orientation-related rumination.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study provides evidence that the process and affective valence of RNT contributes more to internalizing symptoms in sexual minorities when compared with sexual orientation-related content. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Family-Based Interventions with Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth: Systematic Review and Best Practice Recommendations

Research on transgender and gender expansive (TGE) youth has highlighted the disproportionate and challenging mental health and developmental outcomes faced by these young people. Research also largely suggests that family acceptance of TGE youth's gender identity and expression is crucial to preventing poor psychosocial outcomes in this community. Recently, family-based treatment has become common practice with TGE youth whose families are available for care, but it is unclear whether research provides outcome data for family interventions with TGE youth. This study follows Preferred Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to systematically review articles that provide outcome data or clinical recommendations for family-based interventions with TGE youth and their families. No quantitative outcome data for family therapy with TGE youth were found, but numerous articles spanning decades (n=32) provided clinical practice recommendations for family-based interventions with this population. Very few articles provided outcome data for family therapy with sexual minority youth (n=2). Over time, clinical strategies have moved from pathologizing to affirming of TGE youths' gender journey. Common clinical strategies of affirming interventions include (1) providing psychoeducation, (2) allowing space for families to express reactions to their child's gender, (3) emphasizing the protective power of family acceptance, (4) utilizing multiple modalities of support, (5) giving families opportunities for allyship and advocacy, (6) connecting families to TGE community resources, and (7) centering intersectional approaches and concerns. Future research should examine the efficacy of family-based interventions that incorporate these clinical strategies and collect quantitative data to systematically determine their effect on psychosocial outcomes.

Associations between minority stress, depression, and suicidal ideation and attempts in transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Minority stress theory posits that transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals exhibit greater rates of depression and suicidality due to internal (proximal) and external (distal) stressors related to their TGD identity. Yet, the magnitude of the relationship between minority stress processes and mental health outcomes has not been quantitatively summarized. The current research meta-analyzed the relationship between minority stress constructs and depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt. Results from 85 cross-sectional quantitative studies indicate that distal stress, expectations of rejection, internalized transphobia, and concealment are significantly associated with increased depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt. Greater effect sizes were observed for expectations of rejection and internalized transphobia when compared to distal stress and concealment. Future research on the relationship between minority stress, depression, and suicide would benefit from longitudinal designs and more diverse and representative samples of TGD individuals.