Protective Behavioral Strategies Scale‐20: Psychometric properties of a French and German version among young males in Switzerland

Abstract

Objective The Protective Behavioral Strategies Scale (PBSS‐20) is one of the most commonly used measures of engagement in protective behavioral strategies (PBS). This research aimed to examine the psychometric properties of a French and German version of the PBSS‐20 in a large sample of young males in Switzerland. Method The sample included 5,017 young males (mean age = 25.44) participating in the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors in Switzerland. Measures of PBS use, total drinks per week, and alcohol‐related consequences were used from a second follow‐up assessment. Results Confirmatory factor analysis testing different models previously documented in the literature provided initial support for a four‐factor model. Fit statistics indicated that this model adequately reflects the structure of data. Further findings also provided support for adequate internal consistency and for convergent validity of this four‐factor model, whereas metric—but not scalar—measurement invariance across linguistic regions was demonstrated. Conclusion Although further research testing measurement invariance across linguistic regions and gender is warranted, results of the current study suggest that the French and German PBSS‐20 is reliable and that it may represent a promising research and clinical tool that can be used in both French‐ and German‐speaking countries.