Measuring alcohol-related protective behavioral strategies among college students: further examination of the Protective Behavioral Strategies Scale

Psychol Addict Behav. 2007 Sep;21(3):307-15. doi: 10.1037/0893-164X.21.3.307.

Abstract

Heavy drinking among college students has been recognized as a public health problem on American college campuses (e.g., R. Hingson, T. Heeren, M. Winter, & H. Wechsler, 2005). Recently, protective behavioral strategies, or cognitive-behavioral strategies that can be implemented when using alcohol to reduce consumption and resulting negative consequences, have been shown to be associated with less alcohol use and fewer alcohol-related problems (e.g., S. L. Benton et al., 2004; M. P. Martens et al., 2005). The purpose of the present study was to conduct additional psychometric work on a measure designed to assess the use of such strategies: the Protective Behavioral Strategies Scale (PBSS; M. P. Martens et al., 2005). Data were collected on 505 undergraduate students from 2 universities who reported having consumed alcohol at least once in the past 30 days. Results of a confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized 3-factor version of the PBSS, and scores on each subscale were correlated in the expected direction with both alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Thus, the PBSS appears to be reliable and valid for use among college student drinkers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Alcohol Drinking / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Alcohol-Related Disorders / prevention & control*
  • Alcohol-Related Disorders / psychology
  • Alcohol-Related Disorders / rehabilitation
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy*
  • Criminal Law
  • Female
  • Harm Reduction
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motivation
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data*
  • Psychometrics / statistics & numerical data
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Self Efficacy
  • Students / psychology*