Evans Alkan, 2024

Participants were undergraduates aged 18–25 at the University of Surrey who completed the survey during a lecture (opportunity sampling). The study was approved by the University of Surrey Ethics Committee. N = 316 individuals completed the survey (61 males, 245 females, and 10 preferred not to say). The mean age was 20.0 (SD = 1.5 years)… These indicated that assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variance were valid for these data, so a one-way ANOVA was used to test for differences between groups on the measures collected (IV: Vape use, DVs: FFMQ, Rumination, Diurnal preference, Self-compassion, HADS–Anxiety, HADS–Depression, Sleep Quality, Loneliness, and Alcohol use (units/wk).

316 participants, aged 18-25, completed a survey on measurements of vape usage, rumination, sleep quality, anxiety/depression, and self-compassion that was then statistically analyzed.

To address the inconsistencies and knowledge gaps outlined above, the current study sets out to better characterize the personality risk factors for vape use amongst young adults. We also explore how vape use associates with mental health symptoms, sleep quality and chronotype, loneliness, and alcohol use.

To better understand the factors that increase the likelihood of youth to partake in vaping nicotine and how vape use may impact mental health, sleep quality and patterns, personality traits, and alcohol use.

The vape-user group was found to have significantly lower levels of trait mindfulness as measured by the FFMQ, as well as significantly higher levels of rumination. The vape-user group also scored significantly lower on self-compassion. In terms of diurnal preference, the vape-user group scored significantly higher on the rMEQ, indicating a greater tendency towards evening preference… The vape-user group was found to have significantly higher levels of anxiety as measured by the HADS, but no effect was observed for depression… The vape-user group was found to have significantly lower sleep quality as measured by the PSQI… The vape-user group was found to have higher levels of self-reported loneliness (at trend). Further, the vape-user group reported significantly higher levels of alcohol consumption in terms of units consumed per week.

The group composed of students who vaped scored significantly lower on self-compassion and mindfulness, but higher on rumination. Vape users also tended to  be more evening-type chronotypes, displaying lower sleep quality and higher anxiety, loneliness, and alcohol-use.

Thus, the current study adds important novel insights into the traits associated with vape use, pointing to a significant role for mindfulness, rumination, and self-compassion as trait-level factors that might predispose young adults to use vape products. These findings are in line with the notion that vape use, like cigarette use, might serve as a means to self-regulate negative affect.

The study found that predisposition to partaking in vaping may be significantly influenced by patterns of mindfulness, rumination, and self-compassion. These findings suggest that vape-use may be used a tool to self-regulate negative sensations.

Future research should examine the physiological effects stimulants, such as nicotine, have upon sleep patterns and rumination. I think further research into the effects of socioeconomic status and the availability of nicotine-containing vapes within the youth’s environment (i.e. prevalence of vapes within social groups or ease of purchase) may provide further insight and reduce interaction effects between variables.

I found the integration of all the scales/indexes to convey statistically significant correlations between each variable as it pertains to vape usage confusing. I understood an ANOVA test was used to examine between the control (non-vaping/smoking group) and the experimental group, but some variables such as sleep quality and its association with diurnal preferences were not fully explained.