Taking Drugs for Exams: an Investigation with Social Work Students

The present study carried out in Germany is concerned with social work students' consumption of either non-prescribed medicine (e.g. amphetamine) or illegal drugs (such as cocaine) to improve their cognitive performance (neuroenhancement) during examinations. In the main study (n = 257), 16% reported to have consumed such substances, including more men than women and more older than younger students. The use of drugs was neither influenced by study-related variables (e.g. performance pressure) nor parent-related factors (e.g. high-performance expectations). However, as expected by the Theory of Planned Behavior, there were impacts of (1) students' belief in the supposed effectiveness of neuroenhancers, (2) their affiliation to a 'doping' student minority group, and (3) the possibility and situational ease of procurement of such substances. The conclusions were supported by a replication study (n = 444). Finally, implications of these results for social work education are discussed.