Pharmaceutical Cognitive Enhancement in Greek University Students: Differences Between Users and Non-Users in Social Cognitive Variables, Burnout, and Engagement
- PMID: 28426360
- DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2016.1267223
Pharmaceutical Cognitive Enhancement in Greek University Students: Differences Between Users and Non-Users in Social Cognitive Variables, Burnout, and Engagement
Abstract
Pharmaceutical cognitive enhancement (PCE) represents the non-medical use of prescribed medication for the improvement of cognitive functioning and academic performance. Although there are some studies about PCE prevalence, it is less clear how users and non-users of PCE substances differ with respect to their positive and negative student experiences (e.g. academic burnout and engagement with studies) and in social cognitive variables that relate to decision-making and self-regulation of PCE use. The present study assessed whether students with different experiences of PCE substance use displayed differences in academic burnout, study engagement, and social cognitive variables relevant to PCE use. Three hundred and forty-seven university students (mean age (M) = 22.15 years, SD = 1.69; 54% females) completed a battery of anonymous questionnaires on academic burnout, engagement with studies, social cognitive variables relevant to PCE use, and self-reported use of PCE substances and non-prescribed nutritional supplements. Three user groups emerged, namely non-users (51.9%, n = 180), single users of non-prescribed dietary supplements (25.4%, n = 88), and dual users of both non-prescribed dietary supplements and PCE (22.8%, n = 79). Multivariate analysis of variance indicated significant differences among the three user groups in intentions, attitudes, social norms, and anticipated regret toward PCE use. No significant differences were observed with respect to academic burnout and work engagement. The findings show that university students may engage in PCE use independent of their student experiences. Rather, a chemically assisted performance enhancement mindset seems to differentiate users from non-users of PCE substances.
Keywords: Pharmaceutical cognitive enhancement; academic burnout; engagement; social cognition.
Similar articles
-
Building Conceptions of Cognitive Enhancement: University Students' Views on the Effects of Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancers.Subst Use Misuse. 2019;54(6):908-920. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2018.1552297. Epub 2019 Jan 18. Subst Use Misuse. 2019. PMID: 30658557
-
Swiss University Students' Attitudes toward Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement.PLoS One. 2015 Dec 10;10(12):e0144402. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144402. eCollection 2015. PLoS One. 2015. PMID: 26657300 Free PMC article.
-
Organisational Justice, Burnout, and Engagement in University Students: A Comparison between Stressful Aspects of Labour and University Organisation.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Sep 26;15(10):2116. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15102116. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018. PMID: 30261618 Free PMC article.
-
[Pharmaceutical cognitive doping in students: a chimeric way to get-a-head?].Therapie. 2018 Sep;73(4):319-329. doi: 10.1016/j.therap.2017.10.006. Epub 2017 Nov 22. Therapie. 2018. PMID: 29224920 Review. French.
-
Attitudes toward pharmacological cognitive enhancement-a review.Front Syst Neurosci. 2014 Apr 17;8:53. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2014.00053. eCollection 2014. Front Syst Neurosci. 2014. PMID: 24860438 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
Professionals' attitudes towards the use of cognitive enhancers in academic settings.PLoS One. 2020 Nov 20;15(11):e0241968. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241968. eCollection 2020. PLoS One. 2020. PMID: 33216781 Free PMC article.
-
The Use and Impact of Cognitive Enhancers among University Students: A Systematic Review.Brain Sci. 2021 Mar 10;11(3):355. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11030355. Brain Sci. 2021. PMID: 33802176 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Potential risk groups and psychological, psychosocial, and health behavioral predictors of pharmacological neuroenhancement among university students in Germany.Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 18;12(1):937. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-04891-y. Sci Rep. 2022. PMID: 35042938 Free PMC article.
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources