Prescription Stimulant Abuse on University Campuses

A Systematic Review of Risk and Protective Factors Associated With Nonmedical Use of Prescription Drugs Among Youth in the United States: A Social Ecological Perspective

“…Seven studies (4 high school, 3 college) and two reviews identifi ed a significant association between NMUPD and poorer educational outcomes (Arria et al, 2008b;Back et al, 2010;Collins et al, 2011;Garnier-Dykstra et al, 2012;Harrell & Broman, 2009;Schepis & Krishnan-Sarin, 2008;Young et al, 2012a). However, one review included research studies that suggested that nonmedical use of prescription stimulants may, in some cases, be associated with high academic achievement in college students (Gomes et al, 2011). For example, the authors argued that a more competitive academic environment may infl uence student behavior toward the nonmedical use of stimulants.…”

“…Perception risk/harm. Six empirical studies and one review article supported an inverse association between perceived risk or harm and NMUPD (Arria et al, 2008a;Collins et al, 2011;Gomes et al, 2011;Johnston et al, 2006;Lookatch et al, 2012;Lord et al, 2011;Quintero et al, 2006). For instance, authors of a longitudinal study of college students (Arria et al, 2008a) reported that students who had the opportunity to try prescription stimulants and/ or use prescription pain relievers and perceived low harmfulness of NMUPD were more likely to have misused prescription drugs within the past year (prescription stimulants OR = 10.3, 95% CI [3.2, 33.0]; prescription pain relievers OR = 9.6, 95% CI [2.1, 44.0]).…”

“…A similar study by Garnier-Dykstra et al (2012) also demonstrated a significant relationship between lower GPA and past-year NMUPD (OR = 0.68, 95% CI [0.50, 0.92]). However, some research suggested that nonmedical use of stimulants may actually be associated with high academic achievement in some cases (Gomes et al, 2011;Pilkinton & Cannatella, 2012), as this association may be related to the use of attention-enhancing stimulants (such as Ritalin or Adderall). For example, in their 2011 review, Gomes et al (2011) reported that, although college students with a GPA of higher than a B were less likely to use nonmedical prescription stimulants than peers with lower GPAs, students attending competitive universities may be more likely to use prescription stimulants nonmedically than those attending universities with lower rankings.…”

“…Fraternity and sorority life. In a review of prescription drug use on college campuses, Gomes et al (2011) reported that a student's affi liation with a fraternity or sorority was associated with an increased nonmedical use of prescription stimulants. In one study included in the review, authors reported that men and women with fraternity/ sorority affi liations are two times more likely to report prescription stimulant misuse in the past month (OR = 2.04, 95% CI [1.21, 3.45]) (McCabe et al, 2005, in Gomes et al, 2011.…”

Prescription Drug Attitudes Questionnaire: Development and Validation

“…There are also other reasons for the surge in misuse of such drugs. For instance, the youth report motivations for the use of prescription drugs that include: getting high, enhancing academic performance, coping with anxiety or sleep problems, social facilitation, losing weight, and increasing energy (Dussault & Weyandt, 2013;Gomes, Song, Godwin, & Toriello 2011;Partridge, Bell, Lucke, & Hall 2013). Many young adults are also unaware of the negative consequences, side effects, and potential harms caused by the misuse of prescribed drugs (Weyandt et al, 2009), which may prevent them from making informed decisions about drug use.…”