ERIC Number: EJ1014112
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Aug
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0090-1482
EISSN: N/A
Licit and Illicit Use of Prescription Psychostimulants in Upperclassmen and Alumni
Underhill, Brynne; Langdon, Su
Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education, v57 n2 p7-26 Aug 2013
Use of prescription stimulants after college has not been well researched. In an online survey, current upperclassmen undergraduates (N = 96) and recent alumni (N = 337) reported licit and illicit use of prescription stimulants, perceptions of peer use, self-diagnosis of attention disorder, and plans for continued use. Post-graduate rate of use was significantly lower than undergraduate levels, though alumni reported significantly greater post-graduate use than they had expected in college and this alumni rate was also significantly greater than current students' predictions for post-graduate use. While college environment appears to be an ecological factor in prescription stimulant use, other factors, such as perceived peer use and self-diagnosis, also play a role. Educating undergraduates about long term and illicit stimulant use would be beneficial. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Alumni, Drug Abuse, College Environment, Social Attitudes, Social Behavior, Peer Influence, Gender Differences, Stimulants, Surveys, Regression (Statistics)
American Alcohol and Drug Information Foundation. P.O. Box 10212, Lansing, MI 48901. Tel: 517-484-1770; Fax: 517-487-2474; e-mail: jadejournal@earthlink.net; Web site: http://www.jadejournal.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A