“Who am I to say something?”: College students’ perceptions of peer interventions in the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine college students’ perceptions of a peer intervention to prevent or reduce the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NPS) on college campuses. A semi-structured moderator guide was used to discuss college students’ perceptions of their barriers and efficacy in intervening on behalf of their friends, as well as the expected outcomes of such an intervention. Rich discussions of both the hesitations and motivations for engaging in this behavior were had with the 46 participants in the study across five one-hour focus group sessions. Participant narratives surrounding this phenomenon revealed that they perceive a number of barriers to intervening as well as a series of conditions for intervening, accompanied by a low sense of efficacy for such an intervention. The results of these discussions are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications.

Keywords:

• college student health
• peer intervention
• prescription stimulant abuse