The Psychological Effects of Synthetic Cannabinoids (1 CE)

Number of Credits: 1

This course is for:  Clinical psychologists, Counselors, and LMFTs

Course By: Michael Parent, PhD

Content By: Akram, H., Mokrysz, C., & Curran, H. V. (2019). What are the psychological effects of using synthetic cannabinoids? A systematic review. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 33, 271-283. DOI: 10.1177/0269881119826592

Course Description: Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) were developed in the 1960s during attempts to find medical uses for drugs that targeted cannabinoid receptors. SCs are much more potent than 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, and severe side effects from the use of SCs have been noted. The authors reviewed 17 studies on the impact of SCs on psychological outcomes. These studies included 1 experiment, 7 cross-sectional studies, 5 cross-sectional studies collected online, and 4 qualitative studies. The studies indicated some support for associations between SC use and psychosis, depression, anxiety, and cognitive tasks, but the findings were not consistent. The authors concluded that SC use may impair some cognitive functions and cause disturbances such as anxiety and paranoia. However, the authors conclude that much more detailed and controlled research is needed to better understand the effects of SCs.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify one central aim of the study.
2. Identify two key findings presented by the researchers.
3. Identify three limitations of the study, explain how these limitations impact the external validity of the study, and consider the implications of these limitations in the context of future research in this area.

Course Outline:

1. Read and understand What are the psychological effects of using synthetic cannabinoids? A systematic review.
2. Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives.
3. Review the potential psychological effects of SC use.
4. Complete the post-test questions. Recall that answers should be based on the referenced article.
5. Return to the referenced article for any missed questions and/or to understand psychological effects of SC use.