Nonprescription Stimulant Use at UNC: Students’ Motives, Experiences, and Guilt

The use of prescription stimulants such as Adderall for nonmedical pursuits (NPS) is a growing problem on college campuses (DeSantis et al., 2008). The purposes of this study were to: (1) measure reported NPS among UNC undergraduates; (2) assess relations between NPS and membership in Greek societies; (3) test relations between NPS and binge drinking behavior; (4) measure students’ motivation (academic; social) for NPS and relations between motivation and reported benefits (academic performance enhancement; mood and energy enhancement); and (5) assess student guilt associated with NPS. Over 1200 UNC undergraduate students completed an anonymous online survey. Of initial survey respondents, 143 reported having a prescription for a stimulant medication and therefore were dropped from the study. Among the remaining 1066, 18.9% (N = 201) reported having engaged in NPS. Members of Greek life were three times more likely than their non-affiliated peers to engage in NPS. NPS was also strongly associated with binge drinking behavior. Students overwhelmingly reported that they engaged in NPS for academic purposes (78%) rather than for recreational purposes (12%), or for both reasons (9%). Although experimental research has repeatedly shown that NPS does not enhance cognitive functioning, students reported academic benefits of use. Moreover, as anticipated, students’ motivation for NPS was related to their reported experiences: Students who reported that they engaged in NPS for academic purposes reported stronger academic benefits (e.g., feeling focused; able to study longer) than students who reported engaging in NPS for recreational purposes. Students tended to disagree with guilt items, reporting that they experienced little guilt for NPS. Implications for university personnel who are working to reduce NPS on college campuses are discussed.Bachelor of Art