High school students\u27 perceptions of the non-medical use of ADHD prescription stimulant medications

A review of existing literature has documented a rise in the misuse of stimulant medications by those with a prescription for ADHD, as well as, the nonmedical or illicit use of stimulant medications by those without a prescription or a diagnosis of ADHD. This phenomenon has been particularly present on college campuses. The purpose of this study was to examine prevalence of misuse and nonmedical use of ADHD prescription stimulant medications in high school students, as well as, the attitudes and perceptions of high school students about the misuse and nonmedical use of ADHD prescription stimulant medication. Specifically, this study investigated the rising social norm of academic enhancement by the misuse and nonmedical use of ADHD prescription stimulant medication. A sample was obtained from multiple undergraduate students enrolled in Intro to Psychology courses at Rowan University. College students were asked to retrospectively recall activity regarding the misuse or illicit use of ADHD prescription stimulant medications in high school in a thirty-part questionnaire. Correlational analyses and analyses of variance were used to evaluate data