Adolescents' nonmedical use of prescription medications and other problem behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines adolescent nonmedical use of prescription medications (NUPM) and its relationship to other problem behaviors.


METHODS
A secondary analysis was conducted with data gathered from 912 adolescents in 2007. Four mutually exclusive groups were created from the data. Adolescents who: 1) did not use controlled prescription medications (nonusers); 2) used their own controlled medications as prescribed (medical-users); 3) engaged in nonmedical use for self-treatment motivations (self-treaters), and 4) engaged in nonmedical use for sensation-seeking motivations (sensation-seekers). These four groups were compared on problem behaviors as well as depression and impulsivity.


RESULTS
Approximately 10.9% of the sample engaged in NUPM and 36.8% had a legal prescription for a controlled medication. Sensation-seekers were more likely to engage in most problem behaviors when compared with all other groups; impulsivity and depression was variable among groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest there are different subtypes of nonmedical users of prescription medications.
Boyd
Carol J
CJ
Institute for Research on Women and Gender, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. caroboyd@umich.edu
Young
Amy
A
Grey
Melissa
M
McCabe
Sean Esteban
SE
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D019955:Conduct Disorder; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D056687:Off-Label Use; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D055553:Prescription Drugs