The theoretical frameworks of the Theory of Planned Behavior and Neutralization Theory can be used to examine the origins and outcomes of prescription stimulant abuse by college students. The Theory of Planned Behavior provides an explanation for the relationships between beliefs, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. Specifically, the theory posits that behaviors are directly linked to intentions, which are influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. When applied to prescription stimulant abuse by college students, the theory can be used to explain attitudes toward abusing, subjective norms and beliefs concerning abuse, perceived behavioral control over abusing, intent when abusing, and how these constructs
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Constructs of this theory include denial of responsibility, denial of injury, blaming the victim, condemning the condemners, and appealing to a higher loyalty.
Denying responsibility for an action allows for the person partaking in the action to feel more justified in doing so. One study found prescription stimulant abusers in college deny responsibility of abusing by referencing the need to abuse for study/focus purposes (Cutler, 2014). Abusers may also place responsibility on others, such as parents or health care providers for providing easy access to stimulants (Cutler, 2014). Claiming biological need is another common technique for denying responsibly in stimulant abuse by college students (Bennett, Holloway, Brookman, Parry, & Gorden, …show more content…
Aside from overprescription, abusers also criticize those who prescribe stimulants for their lack of ability to correctly identify those who actually have disorders like ADHD, and those that are simply faking symptoms (Cutler, 2014). Abusers in one study of college students spoke to the ease with which they were able to convince doctors they needed a prescription (Cutler, 2014). This technique allows an abuser to feel more justified in their use, and portray others as more deviant than themselves.
Prescription stimulant abusers may appeal to a higher loyalty by claiming their safe use of stimulants for betterment purposes is not criminal or as criminal as abusing recklessly, or to get high (Cutler, 2014). Further, they justify their use by referencing the ambivalence their parents displayed when finding out they had used these drugs for greater success in school, and cite the fact that the stimulants they are abusing are FDA approved and used by many people safely (Cutler, 2014). Appealing to a higher loyalty allows abusers to feel their actions are not so
Constructs of this theory include denial of responsibility, denial of injury, blaming the victim, condemning the condemners, and appealing to a higher loyalty.
Denying responsibility for an action allows for the person partaking in the action to feel more justified in doing so. One study found prescription stimulant abusers in college deny responsibility of abusing by referencing the need to abuse for study/focus purposes (Cutler, 2014). Abusers may also place responsibility on others, such as parents or health care providers for providing easy access to stimulants (Cutler, 2014). Claiming biological need is another common technique for denying responsibly in stimulant abuse by college students (Bennett, Holloway, Brookman, Parry, & Gorden, …show more content…
Aside from overprescription, abusers also criticize those who prescribe stimulants for their lack of ability to correctly identify those who actually have disorders like ADHD, and those that are simply faking symptoms (Cutler, 2014). Abusers in one study of college students spoke to the ease with which they were able to convince doctors they needed a prescription (Cutler, 2014). This technique allows an abuser to feel more justified in their use, and portray others as more deviant than themselves.
Prescription stimulant abusers may appeal to a higher loyalty by claiming their safe use of stimulants for betterment purposes is not criminal or as criminal as abusing recklessly, or to get high (Cutler, 2014). Further, they justify their use by referencing the ambivalence their parents displayed when finding out they had used these drugs for greater success in school, and cite the fact that the stimulants they are abusing are FDA approved and used by many people safely (Cutler, 2014). Appealing to a higher loyalty allows abusers to feel their actions are not so