Persistent nonmedical use of prescription stimulants among college students: possible association with ADHD symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the possible association between untreated ADHD symptoms (as measured by the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale) and persistent nonmedical use of prescription stimulants.


METHODS
Multinomial regression modeling was used to compare ADHD symptoms among three groups of college students enrolled in a longitudinal study over 4 years: (1) persistent nonmedical users of prescription stimulants, (2) persistent users of marijuana who did not use prescription stimulants nonmedically, and (3) consistent nonusers of drugs.


RESULTS
ADHD symptoms were associated with being a persistent nonmedical user of prescription stimulants after adjustment for race/ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, and other illicit drug use. No associations were observed between ADHD symptoms and being a persistent marijuana user or nonuser.


CONCLUSIONS
ADHD symptoms, and in particular inattention symptoms, appeared to be associated with nonmedical use of prescription stimulants.
Arria
Amelia M
AM
Center on Young Adult Health and Development, University of Maryland School of Public Health, Department of Family Science, College Park, MD 20740, USA. aarria@umd.edu
Garnier-Dykstra
Laura M
LM
Caldeira
Kimberly M
KM
Vincent
Kathryn B
KB
O'Grady
Kevin E
KE
Wish
Eric D
ED
D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants