Undergraduate Prescription Stimulant Misuse: The Impact of Academic Strain.

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the misuse of prescription stimulants among undergraduates for academic purposes. This research is important as existing literature has indicated that this type of prescription drug misuse is a growing concern, especially among college undergraduates aged 18-25.

OBJECTIVE

This study focused on how various types of academic strain (i.e., academic strain, grade strain, and academic impediments) influenced the misuse of prescription stimulants.

METHODS

Roughly 900 quantitative surveys were collected at a large Southeastern university in May 2014 that specifically addressed prescription stimulant misuse.

RESULTS

Results from regression analyses indicated that college students are at an increased likelihood of misusing prescription stimulants for academic purposes if they experienced academic impediments and/or grade strain during the past academic year. Conclusions/Importance: It is necessary to identify how academic strain impacts undergraduates' likelihood of engaging in the misuse of prescription stimulants as this information may aid in college based educational and prevention programs.