Examining the Relationship Between Strain and the Use of Nonmedical Prescription Drugs Among College Students

Abstract

The study of nonmedical prescription drug use (NMPDU) on college campuses is of importance, as college students tend to engage in NMPDU more often than their same-age peers not attending college. Typical correlates of NMPDU include need for alertness, perception of peer use, desire to get high, and use of other drugs including alcohol and marijuana. Few studies have explored the relationship between strain, depression, and NMPDU among college students. Using general strain theory as the theoretical framework, the current study aims to add to the literature on NMPDU by exploring the role that strain and depression play in the prevalence of nonmedical prescription stimulant, tranquilizer/sedative, and pain reliever use at a midsized university. Results support the relationship proposed by strain theorists for both nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers and tranquilizers/sedatives, but not stimulants. Policy implications and future areas of research are discussed.

Medicate to Graduate: Academic Strain and Nonmedical Prescription Stimulant Use Among Graduate and Undergraduate Students

“…In short, instrumental use is not uncommon among college students. Following from these apparent academic-related motives, several studies have demonstrated the applicability of general strain theory (Agnew, 2006) as it relates to NMPSU among college students (Ford & Schroeder, 2009; Maahs et al, 2016; Norman & Ford, 2018; Pate & Bolin, 2018; Prosek et al, 2018). General strain theory is an individualized extension of the macro-level theory developed initially by Merton (1938), which focuses on coping with the disjunction between the desire to achieve goals and a lack of access to the means necessary to do so.…”

“…According to Agnew (2006), criminal coping is most likely to occur when strain leads to or coincides with negative affective states, such as anger, anxiety, fear, or depression. College students potentially experience a variety of strains from myriad sources directly and indirectly related to academic demands and performance (Pate & Bolin, 2018). Furthermore, these strains have been shown to be related to negative affective states (primarily depression) which, in turn, may increase the risk of substance use in general (Abraham & Fava, 1999; Davis et al, 2008; Zullig & Divin, 2012) and NMPSU specifically (Ford & Schroeder, 2009; Maahs et al, 2016; Pate & Bolin, 2018; Teter et al, 2010).…”

“…Taken together, these findings underscore a potential relationship between common types of stressors and strains and the misuse of prescription stimulants as a means to cope with said strains, consistent with general strain theory (Agnew, 2002, 2009). As such, it is not surprising that a number of recent studies have sought to further examine general strain theory by elucidating the role of strain in stimulant misuse by examining the extent to which negative affective states, such as depression, mediates the relationship between academic-related strain, or academic strain, and NMPSU (Ford & Schroeder, 2009; Maahs et al, 2016; Norman & Ford, 2019; Pate & Bolin, 2018). 3 While the results of these studies have been generally consistent with hypotheses derived from strain theory, they have generally overlooked graduate students.…”

Gendered Patterns of Drug Use on a University Campus in the United States

“…While studies that focus on college women and strain theory are rare, the extant literature has often found a relationship between strain and substance use as a coping mechanism. A study set in the southeast of the United States found that strain theory is associated with increased use of two types of prescription drugs although not with stimulants (Pate & Bolin, 2019). However, Peck et al (2018) found that young women reported greater depression but also less substance use than men when controlling for depression.…”

“…These authors argued that additional gender‐specific studies will be needed to clarify the relationship between gender, strain, and substance use. Pate and Bolin (2019) cautioned university officials to proceed cautiously with programming changes until we better understand the relationship between strain and substance use. Because studies have sometimes come to conflicting conclusions about the effect of strain on college women's substance use habits, additional work will be needed to reach a more confident conclusion.…”