Can you say no? Examining the relationship between drinking refusal self-efficacy and protective behavioral strategy use on alcohol outcomes

Abstract

Preliminary research has demonstrated reductions in alcohol-related harm associated with increased use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) and higher levels of drinking refusal self-efficacy (DRSE). To extend research that has evaluated these protective factors independently of one another, the present study examined the interactive effects of PBS use and DRSE in predicting alcohol outcomes. Participants were 1084 college students (63% female) who completed online surveys. Two hierarchical linear regression models revealed that both DRSE and PBS use predicted alcohol use and consequences. Additionally, DRSE moderated the relationship between PBS use and both typical weekly drinking and negative alcohol-related consequences, such that participants who reported lower levels of PBS use and DRSE in the social pressure or emotional regulation dimensions were at greatest risk for heavy drinking and consequences respectively. Interestingly, for those who reported higher levels of social and emotional DRSE, levels of PBS use had no impact on alcohol use or alcohol consequences respectively. These findings demonstrate that DRSE and PBS use differentially reduce risk, suggesting the utility of collegiate, alcohol harm reduction interventions that aim to both increase PBS use and bolster self-efficacy for greater harm reduction.

I think I can't: Drink refusal self-efficacy as a mediator of the relationship between self-reported drinking identity and alcohol use

“…Gender theorists suggest that particular aspects of the male gender role (e.g., masculine norms, gender role stress, or attitudes that heavy drinking is a symbol of masculinity) may be associated with alcohol behavior (Capraro, 2000; Courtenay, 2000, Lemle & Mishkind, 1989; Mahalik et al, 2003; McCreary, Newcomb, & Sadave, 1999). Our findings further indicated that males reported lower DRSE relative to females, findings not inconsistent with previous work which often include gender in prediction models as a covariate due to its consistent correlation with DRSE (e.g., Ehret, Ghaidarov, & LaBrie, 2013). Generally, our findings with respect to gender differences support the need to take gender and other individuals' risk factors that contribute to elevated intoxication and negative consequences into consideration.…”

“…Research indicates that DRSE mediates the relationship between alcohol expectancies and consumption (e.g., Gullo, Dawe, Kambouropoulos, Staiger, & Jackson, 2010; Morawska & Oei, 2005), is associated with drinking in non-clinical samples (e.g., Young, Hasking, Oei, & Loveday, 2007), and is linked with abstinence following treatment (Maisto, Connors, & Zywiak, 2000). Research further shows that DRSE moderates the effect of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) on drinking such that individuals low in PBS and DRSE are at increased risk for drinking (Ehret, Ghaidarov, & Labrie, 2013) relative to those high in either. Further, DRSE is shown to mediate the relationship between alcohol expectancies and problems (Connor et al, 2011) and moderate the effect of alcohol expectancies on drinking (Oei & Jardim, 2007).…”

Contextualizing Students’ Alcohol Use Perceptions and Practices within French Culture: An Analysis of Gender and Drinking among Sport Science College Students

“…Well, the effects of alcohol can be dangerous when you don't have control of yourself." Primarily it was the dangers of losing self-control (and even losing consciousness) and thus leaving themselves vulnerable to potential attack, unprotected sex, and even sexual assault, which were recounted by female students-fears also highlighted in other research (Ehret, Ghaidarov, & LaBrie, 2013;Griffin, Bengry-Howell, & Hackley, 2009;Maggs, Williams, & Lee, 2011).…”

Measurement invariance of alcohol instruments with Hispanic youth

“…Typically, measures of self-efficacy focus on specific behavioral skills (e.g., ability to resist a drink offered in a social setting), rather than overall self-efficacy to change. In terms of adolescent alcohol use, some studies with predominantly Caucasian samples have found that self-efficacy was a key predictor of positive treatment outcomes (Ehret, Ghaidarov, & LaBrie, 2013; LaChance, Feldstein Ewing, Bryan, & Hutchison, 2009), whereas others have not (Armitage, Rowe, Arden, & Harris, in press; Newton, Barrett, Swaffield, & Teesson, 2014). We could find no studies examining measurement invariance for self-efficacy with Hispanic compared to Caucasian youth, emerging work has highlighted the relevance of this construct with Hispanic youth (Castro, Stein, & Bentler, 2009; Shih, Miles, Tucker, Zhou, & D’Amico, 2010; Shih et al, 2012).…”