Preventing Prescription Stimulant Diversion and Misuse via a Web-Based Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Prescription stimulant diversion and non-medical use are prevalent among undergraduates.
• Few evidence-based interventions exist to address these specific behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of a brief, interactive web-based intervention targeting prescription stimulant diversion and non-medical use in university students.
• To assess the intervention's impact on primary outcomes (diversion, non-medical use, intentions) and secondary outcomes (perceived norms, risk, self-efficacy, prescriber communication).

Main Methods:

• A randomized, single-blind study involving 249 undergraduates with stimulant prescriptions from three US universities.
• Participants were assigned to a 30-minute web-based intervention or an attention-matched placebo, with follow-ups at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months.
• Intervention included psychoeducation, refusal practice, and adherence strategies.

Main Results:

• The intervention did not significantly decrease primary outcomes of diversion or non-medical use.
• Small-to-medium effects were observed in increased risk perceptions, perceived non-medical use norms, and self-efficacy to avoid non-medical use.
• Post-hoc analyses revealed significant reductions in the odds of any diversion (76%) and any non-medical use (60%) over 6 months.

Conclusions:

• The web-based intervention is acceptable and feasible for implementation among university students.
• While not directly reducing misuse episodes, the intervention shows promise in modifying related psychosocial factors.
• Future interventions may benefit from tailored content addressing varying levels of diversion and misuse risk.