Texas State Professor Helps Explain Education Status Influences Prescription Drug Misuse In Young Adults

SAN MARCOS – Research conducted by Ty Schepis, professor of psychology at Texas State University, helps explain how educational status might influence which people are more susceptible to different drugs.

Schepis, along with co-authors Sean Esteban McCabe, Christian J. Teter, Carol J. Boyd and Timothy E. Wilens, published their findings, “Sources of Prescription Medication Misuse Among Young Adults in the United States: The Role of Educational Status,” in the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Prescription drug misuse (PDM) is the use of prescription opioids, stimulants, sedatives or tranquilizers that are not prescribed and are taken only for the recreational experience or feelings that they induce.

When famous influencers, actors and musicians engage in PDM, it encourages others to do the same—especially college students. Young adults ages 18 to 25 are the demographic where PDM is most prevalent.

The study found that prescription opioid and sedative or tranquilizer misuse was the most prevalent among young adults not attending college, especially among high school dropouts. In contrast, full-time college students and college graduates had the highest rates of prescription stimulant misuse.

The study also found that the most common source where young adults obtained prescriptions to misuse was from close friends and relatives for free.

Furthermore, prescription drug misusers who got their medication from theft or fake prescriptions, purchases or multiple sources were most likely to report Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in the past year, and they were likely to have the most severe overall risk of concurrent substance use and SUD.

As the opioid epidemic continues, it is important to understand how it affects different demographics. Anyone aware of individuals who misuse prescriptions should encourage them to seek help.

Anyone suffering from PDM or SUD should visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website at www.hhs.gov/opioids or call the National Helpline of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at (800) 662-4357 for more information about mental and substance use disorders, prevention and confidential treatment referral.