Protected or Prone? Prescription Drug Misuse in Honors Program College Students

Although research has examined prescription drug misuse (PDM) behaviors and motivations among college students, few studies have investigated these issues among the academically gifted affiliated with honors programs. Students affiliated with honors programs may be more likely than unaffiliated/nonhonors students to engage in PDM due to increased academic strain (Agnew, 1992) or less likely due to increased support offered by their honors programs (Hirschi, 1969). The present study examined prevalence rates of PDM and motives for multiple prescription drug types between honors and nonhonors students in a stratified random sample of college students at a large public university (N = 588). Honors students did not differ in their PDM prevalence compared to nonhonors students (ps ≥ .07, Cramer’s Vs ≤ .08) but were less likely to report motives related to improving grades (p ≤ .001, Cramer’s V = .24) and getting high (p = .04, Cramer’s V = .15). The results contribute to our understanding of the role that honors programs play in supporting gifted college students.