A Mixed-Methods Approach Examining Illicit Prescription Stimulant Use: Findings From a Northern California University.

Preventing the illicit use of prescription stimulants, a particularly high-risk form of substance use, requires approaches that utilize theory-guided research. We examined this behavior within the context of a random sample of 554 undergraduate students attending a university in northern California. Approximately 17% of students self-reported engaging in this behavior during college; frequency of misuse per academic term ranged from less than once to 40 or more times.

Using structural equation modeling to understand prescription stimulant misuse: a test of the Theory of Triadic Influence.

Objective: To test a theory-driven model of health behavior to predict the illicit use of prescription stimulants (IUPS) among college students.

Participants: A probability sample of 554 students from one university located in California (response rate=90.52%).