Non-Medical Methylphenidate Use Among Medical Students: Prevalence and Association with Type A Personality Traits

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychopharmacology
• Personality Psychology

Background:

• Non-medical methylphenidate use (NMU) is a growing concern in academic settings.
• Understanding the prevalence and correlates of NMU among medical students is crucial for targeted interventions.
• Type A personality traits have been anecdotally linked to stimulant use, but empirical evidence in this population is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of non-medical methylphenidate use (NMU) in Turkish medical students.
• To investigate the association between NMU and Type A personality traits in this cohort.
• To identify other potential correlates of NMU in medical students.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 600 medical students at a Turkish faculty.
• Participants completed questionnaires on sociodemographics, methylphenidate use, and Type A personality.
• NMU was defined as methylphenidate use for academic/social enhancement in students without diagnosed ADHD; Firth penalized logistic regression was used for analysis.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of lifetime and current methylphenidate use was 6.8% and 2.2%, respectively; 3.8% met NMU criteria, primarily for academic enhancement.
• Type A personality scores did not significantly differ between NMU and non-NMU students.
• Peer NMU awareness and prior psychiatric consultation were associated with NMU, while tentative inverse associations were noted for male sex and Type A scores.

Conclusions:

• NMU prevalence among Turkish medical students is low and primarily associated with peer influence and psychiatric history, not Type A personality.
• The findings suggest that prevention strategies should address peer dynamics and mental health support rather than personality profiling.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these associations.