Reduced Anticipatory Pleasure in Early-Onset Severe Cannabis Use Disorder: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study.
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Neurosciences, Head-Neck and Chest, Section of Psychiatry, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
- 2Department of Neuroscience, Section of Psychiatry, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
- 3Service of Clinical Psychology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
- 4Department of Mental Health, ASL Roma 1, Via Plinio 31, 00193 Rome, Italy.
Abstract
Background: Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance, particularly among youth. Earlier onset is associated with poorer clinical trajectories in cannabis use disorder (CUD), but its relationship with hedonic-motivational components remains unclear. Methods: Outpatients with severe CUD (n = 121) were stratified by age at onset (<18 vs. ≥18 years) and compared on hedonic-motivational functioning using the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) and the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS). Healthy subjects (n = 112) served as a reference group. Results: CUD groups were comparable in clinical characteristics and cannabis use patterns. TEPS-Anticipatory scores were lower in patients with onset before age 18 (p < 0.001) and remained associated with onset group after adjustment for gender, education, and CUD duration (p < 0.001). When healthy subjects were included, significant group effects were observed (p < 0.001). Post hoc comparisons confirmed reduced TEPS-Anticipatory scores in early-onset vs. both later-onset and control groups, and higher SHAPS scores in both CUD groups vs. controls. Conclusions: CUD onset before age 18 is associated with reduced anticipatory pleasure, suggesting a greater involvement of anticipatory than other dimensions of hedonic functioning. Age at onset may therefore help identify patients with greater motivational vulnerability and inform early, targeted prevention and intervention strategies.
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BibTeX
@article{pepe2026reduced,
title = {{Reduced Anticipatory Pleasure in Early-Onset Severe Cannabis Use Disorder: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study.}},
author = {Maria Pepe and Francesco Traccis and Giuseppe Mandracchia and Marco Massetti and Martina Platia and Isabella Panaccione and Raffaella Franza and Gabriele Sani and Marco Di Nicola},
journal = {European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/ejihpe16100152},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42930215},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Reduced Anticipatory Pleasure in Early-Onset Severe Cannabis Use Disorder: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study.
AU - Maria Pepe
AU - Francesco Traccis
AU - Giuseppe Mandracchia
AU - Marco Massetti
AU - Martina Platia
AU - Isabella Panaccione
AU - Raffaella Franza
AU - Gabriele Sani
AU - Marco Di Nicola
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/27
JO - European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education
DO - 10.3390/ejihpe16100152
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42930215
AB - Background: Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance, particularly among youth. Earlier onset is associated with poorer clinical trajectories in cannabis use disorder (CUD), but its relationship with hedonic-motivational components remains unclear. Methods: Outpatients with severe CUD (n = 121) were stratified by age at onset (<18 vs. ≥18 years) and compared on hedonic-motivational functioning using the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) and the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS). Healthy subjects (n = 112) served as a reference group. Results: CUD groups were comparable in clinical characteristics and cannabis use patterns. TEPS-Anticipatory scores were lower in patients with onset before age 18 (p < 0.001) and remained associated with onset group after adjustment for gender, education, and CUD duration (p < 0.001). When healthy subjects were included, significant group effects were observed (p < 0.001). Post hoc comparisons confirmed reduced TEPS-Anticipatory scores in early-onset vs. both later-onset and control groups, and higher SHAPS scores in both CUD groups vs. controls. Conclusions: CUD onset before age 18 is associated with reduced anticipatory pleasure, suggesting a greater involvement of anticipatory than other dimensions of hedonic functioning. Age at onset may therefore help identify patients with greater motivational vulnerability and inform early, targeted prevention and intervention strategies.
SN - 2174-8144
SN - 2254-9625
ER -