Protective Behavioral Strategies and Alcohol Use among Female and Male College Students

• In Event: 366 - Open Refereed Roundtable Session II
  In Refereed Roundtable: B. Table 24. Public Opinion

Abstract

College students have high rates of heavy episodic drinking and this dangerous behavior is linked to numerous negative outcomes. Despite potential issues associated with alcohol consumption, certain tactics such as protective behavioral strategies (PBS) can help to mitigate levels of college student drinking and related negative outcomes. Though protective drinking strategies are important for curbing alcohol use, research suggests some methodological limitations with the prior use of PBS scales. As such, the current study addresses this gap by examining the mediating effect of two different protective behavior strategy constructs on the relationship between peer drinking behavior and personal alcohol consumption among a college sample of 704 males and females from a large Midwestern university. Results from path analysis reveal that though both PBS factors were strongly associated with drinking behavior, one was positively correlated, while the second one was negatively correlated with alcohol use. This indicates that within a single PBS scale, unique factors may operate differently in their protective role against college drinking. Having friends who engage in more high risk drinking is also associated with lower use of protective behavioral strategies and greater alcohol consumption among respondents.

Authors

• Kimberly A. Tyler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Elizabeth Anne Richardson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln