Nonsocial Reinforcement of the Nonmedical Use of Prescription Drugs: A Partial Test of Social Learning and Self-Control Theories

Abstract

In this study, we examine the explanation of the nonmedical use of prescription drugs. We test the comparative utility of two theories of drug use (i.e., social learning theory and self-control theory) on the nonmedical use of prescription drug use. Our contribution to social learning theory is the use of an understudied part of the theory—nonsocial reinforcement. We expect the two theories to explain the nonmedical use of prescription drugs. Using data from the 2006 Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF), we showed both theories have a link with the nonmedical use of prescription drugs. A consistent theme was that social learning theory had a consistent link with the nonmedical use of prescription drugs. However, self-control and nonsocial reinforcement have inconsistent links with the nonmedical use of prescription drugs. We discuss the policy implications of these findings.