Non-Medical Methylphenidate Use Among Medical Students: Prevalence and Association with Type A Personality Traits
Substance Use and Misuse, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1080/10826084.2026.2686380
- Dergi Adı: Substance Use and Misuse
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, CINAHL, Criminal Justice Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), EMBASE, MEDLINE, Psycinfo, Public Affairs Index, SportDiscus, Criminal Justice Periodical Index, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Social Science Premium Collection (ProQuest), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Criminology Collection (ProQuest), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: cognitive enhancement, medical students, Methylphenidate, non-medical use, social norms, Type A personality
- Bilecik Şeyh Edebali Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Aim: To estimate the prevalence of non-medical methylphenidate use (NMU) in Turkish medical students and its association with Type A personality. Method: This cross-sectional study surveyed 600 of 1,275 invited medical students (47.1%) at a single public medical faculty in Türkiye in 2025. A sociodemographic/methylphenidate-use questionnaire and the Type A Personality Traits Scale were administered. NMU was operationalized as methylphenidate use for academic or social performance enhancement in students without clinician-diagnosed ADHD, regardless of prescription status. Type A differences were tested with MANOVA. Given the low event count, Firth penalized logistic regression served as the primary multivariable analysis, with standard logistic regression reported for comparison. Results: Lifetime methylphenidate use was 6.8% (n = 41) and current use 2.2% (n = 13); 23 students (3.8%) met NMU criteria, most commonly for academic enhancement. Awareness of methylphenidate and of peer use rose markedly from preclinical to clinical years, whereas actual use did not. Type A scores did not differ between NMU and non-NMU students. In the Firth model, peer NMU awareness and past psychiatric consultation remained associated with NMU; tentative inverse associations for male sex and the standardized Type A score should be interpreted as exploratory given the low events-per-variable ratio (3.3). Conclusion: NMU prevalence was low and more closely linked to contextual correlates—peer exposure and prior psychiatric contact—than to Type A traits, which did not show a robust or stable association across analyses. Multivariable findings require replication. Prevention may benefit from focusing on peer-network dynamics and mental-health support rather than personality-based risk profiling.