College students' conceptualization of substance use by peers and themselves: a pilot vignette-based experiment

Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) are prevalent among college students. We assessed whether college students rate scenarios representing symptoms of SUDs differently depending on 1) whether symptoms were ascribed to a friend or to themselves and 2) across drugs.

Each participant read vignette describing use of either tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, Adderall, cocaine, Vicodin, heroin, a non-drug anxiety condition, or a non-drug/non-mental health condition. Participants rated the clarity/believability, degree of substance use, and severity/illness nature. Participants then read and rated another vignette describing the same condition, except "you" engaged in those behaviors and experienced those symptoms.

Ratings of others' substance use were higher than ratings of personal substance use. Marijuana use was rated as less serious and life-threatening compared to other substances. Interestingly, stress was identified most as a chronic medical condition.

College students might need additional information regarding SUDs to provide peer support and seek treatment themselves.