Document Type
Article - post-print
Publication Date
12-2013
Abstract
Recent research indicates that protective behavioral strategies (PBS)—previously established as effective self-regulating tools for reducing alcohol risk among college students—may be especially useful for students with poor mental health, who are shown to be at heightened risk for alcohol-related harm. The current study examined the moderating influence of mental health (depression and anxiety severity), gender, and race (White, Asian) in the relationship between PBS use and alcohol-related negative consequences. Participants were 1,782 undergraduate students from two West Coast universities who reported past month incidence of heavy episodic drinking. Students reported on their drinking, experience of alcohol-related consequences, use of PBS, and depression and anxiety symptomatology. Overall, results demonstrated that among participants experiencing depression or anxiety, greater PBS utilization was associated with significantly lower levels of alcohol-related consequences, even after controlling for drinking and other predictors. However, findings also revealed important distinctions in the potential effectiveness of PBS by depression/anxiety severity and racial-gender subgroup, such that Asian men with poor mental health appeared to garner unique and substantial benefit (i.e., lesser consequences) from increased PBS use. Further, PBS were found to offer substantial protective benefit for White females, irrespective of mental health. This study points to the potential for targeted PBS-specific skills training and interventions to minimize alcohol-related risks faced by the growing subpopulation of college students experiencing psychological distress, and further highlights important race-gender differentials.
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Kenney, S. R., & LaBrie, J. W. (2013). Use of Protective Behavioral Strategies and Reduced Alcohol Risk: Examining the Moderating Effects of Mental Health, Gender and Race. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors: Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 27(4), 997–1009. http://doi.org/10.1037/a0033262
Publisher Statement
This is an author-manuscript of an article accepted for publication in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors: Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors following peer review. The version of record Kenney, S. R., & LaBrie, J. W. (2013). Use of Protective Behavioral Strategies and Reduced Alcohol Risk: Examining the Moderating Effects of Mental Health, Gender and Race. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors: Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 27(4), 997–1009 is available online at: http://doi.org/10.1037/a0033262.
