Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder of the brain characterized by difficulty concentrating and hyperactivity. Pharmacological treatment of this disorder includes the use of stimulants such as Adderall or Ritalin to improve attention and reduce fatigue. While this course of treatment is very effective for those diagnosed with ADHD, many undiagnosed students use these drugs illicitly in order to stay awake and focused to accomplish an academic task. This illegal use has been studied across the country, but there is no specific data about the use of Adderall at Saint Louis University (SLU). The proposed study aims to evaluate the prevalence of illicit Adderall use at SLU while simultaneously assessing the motivations behind the drug use. The data would provide valuable information for prevention strategies. Objective: Determine the prevalence of illicit Adderall use at SLU and identify the major motivations behind it. Methods: An anonymous survey will be distributed to undergraduate students at SLU. Once the raw data is collected, it will be analyzed for statistical significance using a T-test and Chi Square Test. The findings will be depicted as bar graphs. Conclusion: The proposed study will provide data on the prevalence and motivations of illicit Adderall use in undergraduate students at SLU. This data will add to national data and provide specific insight as to why students are using these drugs illegally. The data will also provide opportunities to investigate effective and specific prevention strategies.

Sydney Wade would like to thank their faculty sponsor Dr. Elaina Osterbur for support with this project.