Development and Validation of the Positive Outcomes of Cannabis Use Scale (POCUS) Among Predominantly White Adults in the United States

Abstract

Operant conditioning and social learning theories suggest that positive cannabis use–related outcomes are a primary contributor to maintained use and risk for dependence. However, currently there does not exist a reliable, validated measure of positive cannabis-related outcomes. This study sought to develop and psychometrically evaluate the Positive Outcomes of Cannabis Use Scale (POCUS). We collected three samples, college students ( N = 883), community adults ( N = 214), and college students ( N = 615), of predominantly White adults in the United States who completed an online survey. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses evaluated scale structure and identified four factors: social enhancement, mood enhancement, cognitive enhancement, and sexual enhancement. Positive outcomes were positively associated with recent use, controlling for expectancies and negative outcomes. Positive outcomes were also differentiated from positive expectancies and more influential in predicting typical use frequency. Findings indicate that the POCUS is psychometrically sound and clinically useful for measuring positive cannabis use–related outcomes among predominantly White adults in the United States.