Motives for nonmedical use of prescription stimulants in community college students

Objective: The present study identified common motives for nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NMUS) among community college (CC) students and examined behavioral and demographic correlates of certain motives. Participants: The survey was completed by 3,113 CC students (72.4% female; 81.7% White). Methods: Survey results from 10 CCs were evaluated. Results: NMUS was reported by 9% (n = 269) participants. The most common motive for NMUS was to focus on studies or to improve academic performance (67.5%) followed by to have more energy (52.4%). Females were more likely to report NMUS for weight loss, and males were more likely to report NMUS to experiment. The motive to feel good or get high was linked to polysubstance use. Conclusions: CC students report similar motives for NMUS to those commonly endorsed by 4-year university students. These findings may help identify CC students susceptible to risky substance use.

Automated summary

This study aimed to identify common motives for nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NMUS) among community college students and examine behavioral and demographic correlates of certain motives. The results showed that the most common motive for NMUS among these students was to focus on studies or to improve academic performance, followed by the desire to have more energy. Females were more likely to report NMUS for weight loss, while males were more likely to report NMUS for experimental purposes. The motive to feel good or get high was associated with polysubstance use.