Munro Bailey A, Weyandt Lisa L, Marraccini Marisa E, Oster Danielle R
Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, United States.
Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, United States; Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, United States.
Addict Behav. 2017 Feb;65:250-257. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.08.023. Epub 2016 Aug 15.
The nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NMUPS) is a prevalent issue among college students. The primary reason college students report NMUPS is for academic enhancement i.e., to perform better on schoolwork/tests and focus better in class. Executive functioning (EF), which includes abilities that allow for planning, cognitive flexibility, self-regulation, and goal-directed behavior, are potential mechanisms underlying academic performance. Preliminary research has revealed that college students with EF deficits are more likely to have educational difficulties and take part in risky behavior. Based on the literature, it is possible that students with EF deficits are engaging in NMUPS to help them overcome these deficits to succeed academically. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between NMUPS and EF among a sample of college students. The sample included 308 students from six public universities located in various regions of the United States. Measures used in this study were the SSQ, BDEFS and GPA. Results revealed 18.8% of the general sample reported NMUPS. Participants with clinically significant EF deficits reported significantly higher rates of NMUPS, compared to those without deficits in EF. NMUPS, however, did not moderate the relationship between EF and GPA. The present findings have implications for identifying sub-populations of college students who might be at risk for engaging in NMUPS and to improve prevention and intervention strategies aimed at reducing NMUPS. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
处方兴奋剂的非医疗用途（NMUPS）在大学生中是一个普遍存在的问题。大学生报告NMUPS的主要原因是为了提高学业成绩，即更好地完成作业/考试以及在课堂上更专注。执行功能（EF），包括有助于规划、认知灵活性、自我调节和目标导向行为的能力，是学业成绩潜在的影响机制。初步研究表明，有执行功能缺陷的大学生更有可能在学业上遇到困难并参与危险行为。根据文献，有执行功能缺陷的学生可能会使用NMUPS来帮助他们克服这些缺陷从而在学业上取得成功。因此，本研究的目的是在一组大学生样本中检验NMUPS与执行功能之间的关系。样本包括来自美国不同地区六所公立大学的308名学生。本研究中使用的测量工具为SSQ、BDEFS和GPA。结果显示，总体样本中有18.8%的学生报告有NMUPS行为。与没有执行功能缺陷的参与者相比，有临床显著执行功能缺陷的参与者报告的NMUPS发生率显著更高。然而，NMUPS并没有调节执行功能与GPA之间的关系。本研究结果对于识别可能有使用NMUPS风险的大学生亚群体以及改进旨在减少NMUPS行为的预防和干预策略具有启示意义。文中讨论了研究的局限性以及对未来研究的建议。
