The misuse of Ambien among adolescents: prevalence and correlates in a national sample.

The current research examines correlates of Ambien misuse among adolescents. Given the recent popularity of prescription drug misuse, the known risks associated with prescription drugs, the fact that Ambien is widely prescribed, and the relative lack of research on prescription sedative misuse, we believe this research is important. The current study fills this important gap in the literature by examining data from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which includes a sample of more than 17,000 adolescents ages 12 to 17 that is generalizable to the non-institutionalized population of the United States. The prevalence of lifetime Ambien misuse in the sample was 1.4%. The current research identified several significant risk factors for Ambien misuse: age, race, income, religiosity, delinquency, depression, social bonding, peer substance use, attitudes toward substance use, strain, and other substance use. Implications and limitations of the current research are discussed.