Identifying Determinants of Neuro-Enchancement Substance Use in Students: Application of an Integrated Theoretical Model

Background: Use of Neuro-Enhancement Substances (NES) such as prescription drugs, illicit drugs, or alcohol to improve cognition, prosocial behavior, and performance is increasing among students. Aims: The study applied a multi-theory, integrated theoretical model to identify motivational and social cognition determinants of NES use among students. Methods: A prospective longitudinal design was adopted with 306 high school (66.8% female; Mage = 17.31 years, SD = 0.93) and 692 university (70.5% female; Mage = 24.97 years, SD = 6.64) students. They completed measures of motivation, social cognition constructs, and planning with respect to studying behavior and NES use. Results: Well-fitting structural equation models indicated the pervasive influence of autonomous motivation, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control for studying, as well as of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control for NES use. Inclusion of past NES use increased explained variance in NES use and attenuated model effects, but the pattern of effects remained. Multi-group analyses indicated consistency in the pattern model effects across high school and university students. Limitations: The study findings might not be generalizable, as student samples were not randomly recruited. Furthermore, NES use only relied on self-report, and its assessment did not consider different NES substances. Finally, there was no assessment of implicit attitudes and habits toward studying and NES use. Conclusions: Findings extend prior literature by demonstrating the integrated guiding view that students motivation and beliefs about studying influence their beliefs about and use of NES. Furthermore, the findings provide starting points for interventions targeting the reduction in NES use.