Illicit Use of Prescription ADHD Medications on a College Campus: A Multimethodological Approach

DeSantis, Alan D.; Webb, Elizabeth M.; Noar, Seth M.

doi:10.3200/jach.57.3.315-324

Cited by 310 publications

(340 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…A study on a large 2001 sample of undergraduate programs including institutions of different size, location, religious affiliation and private/public status, showed an almost 7% lifetime prevalence of nonmedical stimulant use (McCabe, Knight, Teter & Wechsler, 2005). Although this study did not distinguish between cognitive enhancement and other nonmedical uses, more recent surveys of college students have done so and indicate that cognitive enhancement is the primary motivation for most students using stimulants (e.g., DeSantis, Webb, & Noar, 2008; see Smith & Farah, 2011, for a review). These more recent studies also indicate substantially larger proportions of students using prescription stimulants compared to the McCabe and colleagues' estimates, although the samples have been smaller and less representative.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Objective and subjective cognitive enhancing effects of mixed amphetamine salts in healthy people

2013

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Psychostimulants such as mixed amphetamine salts (MAS, brand name Adderall) are widely used for cognitive enhancement by healthy young people, yet laboratory research on effectiveness has yielded variable results. The present study assessed the effects of MAS in healthy young adults with an adequately powered double-blind cross-over placebo-controlled trial. We examined effects in 13 measures of cognitive ability including episodic memory, working memory, inhibitory control, convergent creativity, intelligence and scholastic achievement, with the goals of determining (1) whether the drug is at least moderately enhancing (Cohen's d >= .5) to some or all cognitive abilities tested, (2) whether its effects on cognition are moderated by baseline ability or COMT genotype, and (3) whether it induces an illusory perception of cognitive enhancement. The results did not reveal enhancement of any cognitive abilities by MAS for participants in general. There was a suggestion of moderation of enhancement by baseline ability and COMT genotype in a minority of tasks, with MAS enhancing lower ability participants on word recall, embedded figures and Raven's Progressive Matrices. Despite the lack of enhancement observed for most measures and most participants, participants nevertheless believed their performance was more enhanced by the active capsule than by placebo. We conclude that MAS has no more than small effects on cognition in healthy young adults, although users may perceive the drug as enhancing their cognition. AbstractPsychostimulants such as mixed amphetamine salts (MAS, brand name Adderall) are widely used for cognitive enhancement by healthy young people, yet laboratory research on effectiveness has yielded variable results. The present study assessed the effects of MAS in healthy young adults with an adequately powered double-blind cross-over placebo-controlled trial. We examined effects in 13 measures of cognitive ability including episodic memory, working memory, inhibitory control, convergent creativity, intelligence and scholastic achievement, with the goals of determining (1) whether the drug is at least moderately enhancing (Cohen's d >= .5) to some or all cognitive abilities tested, (2) whether its effects on cognition are moderated by baseline ability or COMT genotype, and (3) whether it induces an illusory perception of cognitive enhancement. The results did not reveal enhancement of any cognitive abilities by MAS for participants in generalThere was a suggestion of moderation of enhancement by baseline abilityand COMT genotype in a minority of tasks, with MAS enhancing lower ability participants on word recall, embedded figures and Raven's Progressive Matrices. Despite the lack of enhancement observed for most measures and most participants, participants nevertheless believed their performance was more enhanced by the active capsule than by placebo. We conclude that MAS has no more than small effects on cognition in healthy young adults, although users may perceive the drug as enhancing their ...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Objective and subjective cognitive enhancing effects of mixed amphetamine salts in healthy people

2013

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“…Illicit use of ADHD medications on college campuses has also been the subject of considerable inquiry. A survey of more than 1800 undergraduates at a single university (DeSantis, Webb, & Noar, 2008) found that 34% of respondents endorsed having used ADHD medications illegally, though the authors cautioned that this rate was higher than those found in previous studies. A number of university counseling centers (e.g., see California State University, Fresno Student Health Center, 2013) have begun to refuse to provide ADHD evaluations for students (Schwarz, 2013b).…”

Section: Effects Of Symptom Thresholds On Outcomementioning

confidence: 73%

How Persistent is ADHD into Adulthood? Informant Report and Diagnostic Thresholds in a Female Sample

Guelzow

Loya

Hinshaw

2016

J Abnorm Child Psychol

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Although the notion that Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often persists into adulthood is increasingly accepted, important diagnostic questions remain. Using a large (baseline proband n = 140, comparison n = 88) prospectively followed, ethnically diverse female sample, I examined the impacts of (a) informant (i.e., parent-vs. self-report) and (b) diagnostic symptom threshold (i.e., the DSM-IV 6/9 symptoms of inattention [IA] or hyperactivity/impulsivity [H/I] vs. a developmentally referenced criterion [DRC]) on estimates of ADHD persistence from childhood (age range 6-12) into young adulthood (mean age = 19.6 years). Further, I assessed and compared the predictive validity of ADHD status per each informant, as well as via the two different symptom cutoffs, on measures assessing functioning in a number of important domains (e.g., depression, academic achievement, global impairment).Separate 2 x 2 (Wave 1 diagnostic status x Wave 3 diagnostic status) chi-square analyses revealed that per parent report, significantly more probands (44%) than baseline comparison participants (1%) met full ADHD criteria (χ 2 [187] = 42.51, p< 0.001, φ = 0.47). Significantly more probands (22%) than comparisons (2%; χ 2 [209] = 15.97, p< 0.001, φ = 0.28) met full criteria via young adult self-report as well. Informant diagnostic concordance was significant, but of a small effect size (κ = .22). Using a series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses and controlling for key covariates, parent-reported ADHD was found to be independently associated with poorer outcomes on eight of nine considered measures (|β|'s ranging from 0.18 to 0.61). Self-reported ADHD was independently associated only with lower math scores (|β| = .18).As in past research, the DRC was set at two SD above the comparison participants' mean symptom number, yielding a diagnostic threshold of 4/9 H/I and 5/9 IA symptoms. Via the DSM-IV cutoff, ADHD was estimated to persist in 55.9% of baseline probands; via the DRC, this estimate rose to 61.4%. One-way ANCOVA models were used to test mean differences on outcome measures for participants who met the DSM-IV threshold, those who only met the DRC ("DRC-only"), and those who met neither threshold. All models were significant (all Fs >6.50, all ps < .01). DRC-only participants endorsed poorer outcomes of large to very large effect sizes 2 across seven of the study's nine outcome measures, compared to participants who met neither cutoff. Further, DRC-only participants did not differ on any outcome measure from those who met the higher DSM-IV threshold.The present findings add to extant research in suggesting that (a) parent-report yields higher ADHD persistence estimates than young adult self-report and (b) parent-reported persistence remains a more potent predictor of young adult functioning than self-report. Findings also suggest that self-reported ADHD persistence rates may be higher in young adult females than in males, although this suggestion merits further investigation. Further, findings suggest th...

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“…For example, DeSantis, Webb, and Noar (2008) reported that fraternity members are significantly more likely to use stimulant drugs than fraternity nonmembers. Energy drinks such as Red Bull were not included in their study, but they are technically a stimulant drug so their findings may well apply to energy drinks.…”

Section: Masculinity Energy Drink Use Jock Identity and Fraternitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy Drink Use and Its Relationship to Masculinity, Jock Identity, and Fraternity Membership Among Men

Wimer

Levant

2013

Am J Mens Health

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The present study examined whether previous findings linking masculinity constructs and health behaviors applied to a relatively recent health risk behavior for men, the consumption of energy drinks. In addition, it also examined whether self-identifying as a jock and being a member of a fraternity would moderate the relationships between masculinity constructs and energy drink consumption. A total of 589 men completed measures of three masculinity constructs (endorsement of traditional masculinity ideology, conformity to masculine norms, and gender role conflict), energy drink consumption, jock identity, and fraternity membership, in addition to a demographic questionnaire. Age, endorsement of traditional masculinity ideology, and conforming to the masculine norms of risk taking and primacy of work were identified to be significant predictors of energy drink consumption. Furthermore, jock identity moderated the relationship between the endorsement of traditional masculinity ideology and energy drink consumption whereas fraternity membership moderated the relationship between conforming to the masculine norm of violence and energy drink consumption. Limitations, implications, and potential future directions are discussed.

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Illicit Use of Prescription ADHD Medications on a College Campus: A Multimethodological Approach

Abstract: This study supplies a rich understanding of the growing national trend of illegal ADHD stimulant use. The authors discuss strategies for stemming the tide of ADHD stimulant use.

Cited by 310 publications

References 20 publications

Objective and subjective cognitive enhancing effects of mixed amphetamine salts in healthy people

Objective and subjective cognitive enhancing effects of mixed amphetamine salts in healthy people

How Persistent is ADHD into Adulthood? Informant Report and Diagnostic Thresholds in a Female Sample

Energy Drink Use and Its Relationship to Masculinity, Jock Identity, and Fraternity Membership Among Men

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