Misuse of stimulant medication among college students: a comprehensive review and meta-analysis.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational/cross-sectional survey studies (graded by study design analogy).
PubMed 25575768 · doi:10.1007/s10567-014-0177-z
What was done
The authors conducted a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis to evaluate the prevalence rates, demographic factors, and psychosocial correlates of stimulant medication misuse among college students.
What was found
The random-effects meta-analysis estimated the rate of stimulant medication misuse among college students at 17% (95% CI [0.13, 0.23], p < .001). Qualitative synthesis identified associations with ADHD symptoms, alcohol-related problems, marijuana use, Greek organization membership, academic performance, and other substance use. Academic reasons were the primary driver of misuse, and peers with prescriptions were the primary source of medications.
Why it matters
This review provides a pooled estimate showing that roughly one in six college students misuses stimulants, highlighting peer diversion networks and co-occurring substance use to help guide campus-level prevention policies.
Limits
The abstract does not report the number of included studies or the total participant count (n). The findings are limited by self-report observational designs, lack of a standard definition for misuse across primary studies, and absence of validated measurement tools.
Cited by
- contradicts Approximately 80% of college students have taken prescription stimulants without a prescription.