Background: Separation anxiety (SA) among adolescents remains a very rare diagnosis. According to some authors, behavioral disorders may arise from SA disorders. This study evaluated the relationship between cannabis use and family functioning among adolescent cannabis users.
Method: Adolescents (n = 336) completed questionnaires about the frequency of their cannabis use, SA symptoms in adult populations, dysfunctional separation-individuation processes in early adolescence, parental types as perceived by the children, and depression symptoms.
Results: Adolescent users of cannabis obtained significantly higher scores than adolescent nonusers of cannabis on the Anxiety Separation Adulthood scale (p < .005) and lower scores on the "care" subscale about parents' representations ("mother," p < .01; "father," p < .001). The logistic regression analysis indicated that SA disorders and care significantly encouraged cannabis use.
Discussion: Among adolescents, cannabis use is perceived as a solution that reduces the intolerable feelings of SA disorder. If successful separation-individuation allows autonomy, the results indicate that cannabis use hides individuation problems. The use of this substance allows adolescents to express their personality and differentiate themselves from others through marginal behavior.