‘Study drug’ use in Australian universities: Seminar – 26 June 2018

5 June 2018

Student misuse of substances for cognitive enhancement or study purposes is an increasing concern for the higher education sector – so how can universities address this issue? Join CRADLE Fellow Dr Matthew Dunn as he shares insights from a study exploring policy and regulatory environments and institutional responses at five Australian universities.

There is growing concern in the higher education sector around the misuse of prescribed and non-prescribed substances by students seeking cognitive enhancement or as a study aid. The term ‘cognitive enhancement’ (CE) has been defined as the nonmedical use of prescription medications by otherwise healthy persons, with the aim of enhancing cognitive abilities such as focus, alertness, and memory. While the major focus has been on prescription stimulants, the type of substances used for CE or study purposes vary, with research showing that non-prescribed substances, such as caffeine, are used at a higher prevalence.

While there is a good body of evidence investigating the prevalence of and motivations for using CE substances among student populations, much of this comes from North America or Europe. This project explored policy and regulatory environments and institutional responses to this issue within Australia. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 14 participants at five Australian universities. While all participants had heard of the use of study drugs, few had encountered the behaviour. Study drug use was not seen as a key issue that universities should be focused upon; however, there was consensus that universities could address the behaviour by focusing on better curriculum design and student support. This seminar will explore how universities can address this issue and the tension between university policy and student behaviours.

Matthew is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Social Development at Deakin University, and a Conjoint Senior Lecturer at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW. He is a CRADLE Fellow with over ten years’ experience in the alcohol and other drugs field, and a background in psychology and public health. His research into such issues as the use and harms associated with performance- and image-enhancing drugs is internationally recognised, and his recent research interests include the use of ‘study drugs’ such as prescription stimulants and wakefulness-promoting substances such as Modafanil.

Places for the seminar are filling quickly, so register now!