POLYSUBSTANCE USE PATTERNS AND PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING AMONG PARTICIPANTS IN THE ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC SCENE

Abstract

Electronic dance music (EDM) events are strongly associated with polydrug use, or the use of several substances at one time (Fernandez-Calderon et al., 2011), which has contributed to overall negative stereotypes of the EDM scene. Nitrous oxide use has been documented in EDM research, but mainly in qualitative designs (Hunt, Evans, Moloney, and Bailey, 2009). Qualitative research suggested participants pair nitrous oxide inhalation with use of ecstasy, or MDMA, for feeling an enhanced effect. This EDM study examined nitrous oxide use using a quantitative design and investigated how polysubstance use was related to positive and negative consequences of involvement in the EDM scene. Electronic music fans completed an Internet-based survey (N=147, 50% female) that assessed for amount of nitrous oxide use, amount of other drug use (i.e., lifetime use), gender, age, and degree of involvement in the EDM scene. Criterion variables included drug related consequences, positive and negative well-being, relationship satisfaction, and self-rated health. EDM involvement by itself was not significantly predictive of negative psychosocial functioning. However, EDM Involvement was predictive of increased positive affect. Nitrous oxide use and other substance use independently predicted psychosocial functioning. Nitrous oxide use predicted lower levels of positive affect and self-rated health. Moderation analyses testing the hypotheses that nitrous use moderated the effect of EDM involvement on negative outcomes were not supported. However, nitrous oxide use did appear to moderate the relationship between other drug use and positive well-being. For participants reporting lower nitrous oxide use, there was a positive relationship between other drug use and positive well- being, but for participants reporting higher nitrous oxide use, the relationship was no longer significant. Future research should assess a broader range of nitrous use frequencies as well as ask about drug use during the past month and year in addition to lifetime use.