title: Sleep quality and characteristics of college students who use prescription psychostimulants nonmedically.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although psychostimulants have been shown to affect sleep in experimental studies, the relation between nonmedical psychostimulant use and sleep has not been examined. Our goal was to describe the sleep quality and characteristics of college students who use psychostimulant medications nonmedically.
  
  
  METHODS
  We surveyed 492 college students about their sleep quality and psychostimulant use characteristics. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); psychostimulant use and characteristics were measured via a survey developed for this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  College students who self-reported current or a history of nonmedical psychostimulant use reported worse subjective sleep quality, sleep disturbance, and global PSQI scores than nonusers. The most commonly reported reason for nonmedical psychostimulant use was to improve work performance and concentration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrate worse sleep quality among nonmedical psychostimulant users. The likely consequence of increased daytime sleepiness helps to confirm the known public health concern of nonmedical prescription psychostimulant use among college students.
authors.affiliation: West Virginia University, Department of Psychology, Morgantown, WV 26506-6040, USA.
authors.forename: Megan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Clegg-Kraynok
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: McBean
authors.forename: Hawley E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Montgomery-Downs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D055553:Prescription Drugs