Author ORCID Identifier:
Date of Graduation
12-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Psychology (MA)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Psychological Science
Advisor/Mentor
Zamboanga, Byron
Committee Member
Leen-Feldner, Ellen
Second Committee Member
Ham, Lindsay
Keywords
Alcohol; College students; Health belief model; Perceived usefulness; Protective behavioral strategies; Risky drinking
Abstract
College students engage in high levels of alcohol consumption, which can increase their risk of alcohol-related negative consequences. To address this, researchers developed Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies (APBS), which are actions that students can take before or while drinking to limit their alcohol use and/or reduce their likelihood of experiencing drinking harms. However, students’ APBS use could depend on their perceived usefulness of these strategies, whether they engage in high-risk drinking, or both. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate: (1) what percentage of students (a) perceive each APBS as useful and (b) implement the APBS they find useful, (2) what percentage of students lack the opportunity to use each APBS that they do not use, (3) whether perceived usefulness of APBS is related to APBS use, (4) whether (a) APBS use varies between high-risk and low-risk drinkers, and (b) the relationship between perceived usefulness of APBS and APBS use differs between these groups. Undergraduates who reported alcohol use at least twice in the past month (n=4,550; Mage=20.00; female=72.22%; White=58.71%) completed an online survey during the 2018-2019 school year. Students’ perceived usefulness of APBS was positively related to their APBS use (B=0.87, 95% CI[0.81, 0.92]). High-risk drinkers used fewer APBS compared to low-risk drinkers (B=-0.34, 95% CI[-0.38, -0.30]) at the average perceived usefulness of APBS. The relationship between perceived usefulness and APBS use was weaker among high-risk drinkers compared to low-risk drinkers (B=-0.22, 95% CI[-0.28, -0.15]). Interventions could consider drinker status, as efforts to increase students’ APBS use by increasing their perceived usefulness of APBS may be less impactful among students who engage in high-risk drinking.
Citation
McClain, P. W. (2025). Just Because They Can, Doesn’t Mean They Will: College Students’ Use and Non-Use of Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/6010
