Neuropsychological functioning in college students who misuse prescription stimulants

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Relatively little is known about the neuropsychological profiles of college students who misuse prescription stimulant medications. Methods: Data presented are from college students aged 18–28 years who misused prescription stimulants prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and controls (no prescription stimulant misuse). Students were assessed neuropsychologically using the self-report Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF-A), the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test and Battery (CANTAB), and other tests of cognitive functioning. The analyses included 198 controls (age 20.7 ± 2.6 years) and 100 prescription stimulant misusers (age 20.7 ± 1.7 years). Results: On the BRIEF-A, misusers were more likely than controls to endorse greater dysfunction on 8 of 12 measures including Inhibition, Self Monitor, Initiation, Working Memory, and Plan/Organize, when adjusting for race and sex (all p's