ERIC Number: EJ1190308
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0968-7637
EISSN: N/A
Going to the Doctor with Enhancement in Mind -- An Ethnographic Study of University Students' Use of Prescription Stimulants and Their Moral Ambivalence
Petersen, Margit Anne; Nørgaard, Lotte Stig; Traulsen, Janine Marie
Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy, v22 n3 p201-207 2015
Aims: With this article, we aim to use students' moral ambivalence towards prescription stimulants and the doctor's who prescribe them to problematize the distinction between enhancement and treatment. We do this by investigating a case in which students obtain legitimate prescriptions for (covert) enhancement purposes. Methods: The study is based on ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews with 20 university students from multiple universities in New York City, from which the case is drawn. Findings: Three main themes were identified in the analysis. "The doctor prescribed them" illustrates how these students use doctors as easy access to study drugs, and legitimize their use of stimulants because they were prescribed. The second theme, "A good cause", shows that the purpose is what counts as a measure for whether stimulant use is considered morally acceptable or not. The third theme, "Being responsible" refers to how they regard themselves as responsible stimulant users, particularly when not following the doctor's directions. Conclusions: Through an ethnographic approach, we gain a more nuanced understanding of non-medical stimulant use that takes into account the context in which it occurs. We suggest that students' moral ambivalence reflects the increasingly blurred boundaries between what is considered treatment and enhancement in contemporary society.
Descriptors: Ethnography, Medical Services, Drug Therapy, Stimulants, Student Attitudes, Moral Values, Physicians, Drug Abuse, Risk, Graduate Students, Undergraduate Students
Taylor & Francis. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York (New York)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A

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