Strain and Prescription Drug Misuse in the United States Military

Recent studies have shown that prescription drug misuse occurs with striking regularity among members of the United States military. Yet, few prior studies have sought to examine the underlying mechanisms that contribute to prescription drug misuse among members of the armed forces. Drawing from general strain theory, results of an analysis of data from 74 current and former members of the military reveal that both structural and cultural sources of strain within the military relate to prescription drug misuse. Overall, the strain associated with the cultural expectation of masculinity is most robustly related to prescription drug misuse while on duty.