Effects of Gender and Motivations on Perceptions of Nonmedical Use of Prescription Stimulants

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the impact on college students’ perceptions of nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NMUPS) of motivation for use and gender. Participants: Participants were college students (N = 695) from 2 universities in different regions of the United States. Methods: Participants read a vignette describing a college student who used a prescription stimulant for a nonmedical purpose and rated their perception of that individual using a semantic differential. A 2 (participant gender) by 2 (gender of the individual described in the vignette) by 3 (motive for use: get high, study, lose weight) design was used. Results: The male who used a stimulant to study was rated significantly less negatively than if he used the stimulant to get high. NMUPS as a study aid was viewed the least negatively overall. Conclusions: Findings suggest that gender does not, whereas motivation for use does, impact students’ perceptions of NMUPS.