Undergraduate Prescription Stimulant Misuse: The Impact of Academic Strain

Abstract

ABSTRACTBackground: 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.