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Alcohol protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are commonly conceptualized with a three-factor model, as used in the Protective Behavioral Strategies Scale-20 (PBSS-20). However, inconsistencies exist between factors and drinking outcomes. The current study used factor analysis to test a two-factor structure directly via controlled consumption (Direct/CC) and indirectly via harm reduction (Indirect/HR) using the PBSS-20 among a combined sample of n  = 4,883 drinkers. Both the two- and three-factor structures evince similar model fit. A two-factor model yielded more concise PBS measurement. Negative associations were observed with consumption (Direct/CC PBS) and problems (Indirect/HR). A condensed, eight-item, two-factor model accounted for less variance in alcohol consumption, however more variance in alcohol-related problems. A more consistent framework for understanding the impact of PBS on alcohol-related outcomes is provided., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ObjectiveAdverse sexual experiences (ASE), including sexual violence, sexual risk behaviors, and regretted sex, are highly prevalent among sexual and gender minorities (SGM) compared to cisgender and heterosexual individuals. Research indicates ASEs are associated with increased mental health symptomatology and decreased subsequent protective behavior use. The Sexual and Negative Dating Inventory (SANDI) measures dating and sexual protective strategies and includes five factors: Location Sharing, Assertiveness, Self-Protection, Risk Reduction and Privacy. SANDI total scores are linked to lower ASEs in heteronormative samples. Method: SANDI was previously validated in a sample of n  = 1,289 college students. Data were examined from n  = 313 (24.28%) SGM individuals at baseline, and n  = 95 at one-month follow-up. Individuals were 19.70 (2.98 SD) years old, and 25% were non-white. Model fit was adequate for SGM: χ 2 (484) = 1729.621, p  < .001, CFI = .947, RMSEA = .063 (90% CI = .060, .066), SRMR = .048. Results: Non-cisgender men and non-heterosexual individuals endorse using more of the SANDI at the factor level. Using logistic regression, SANDI was not associated with history of sexual violence or sexual violence over the next month. SANDI is inversely associated with history of sexual risk and prospectively associated with less sexual risk over the next month. Negative binomial regression analyses showed SANDI was not associated with a history of regretted sex; however, SANDI was moderately associated with decreased regretted sex over the next month. Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of dating and sexual protective behaviors across dimensions of gender and sexual orientation.

Background: College students continue to report problematic alcohol use. To mitigate adverse outcomes, recent studies have employed harm reduction strategies known as Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS). Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT), an impression management intervention, has been used to promote the use of PBS. DRT relies on impression management to modify behavior. This may be especially important for individuals with higher levels of trait narcissism. Method: College student drinkers ( n =  132) were randomly assigned to receive a positive message about PBS users, a negative message about non-PBS users, or control. Participants reported on current PBS use norms, daily alcohol use, PBS use, and any alcohol-related problems experienced during the previous week for the next 10 weeks. Results: Data were analyzed using multilevel regression to examine PBS use across time by condition. When PBS norms were low, narcissism was strongly associated with lower rates of PBS use in the control group. If individuals received a positive or negative message, the association between narcissism and PBS use was diminished, among individuals with low PBS norms. There were no significant differences at mean or high levels of norms, indicating the messaging was only important for the highest risk group (i.e., those with low PBS norms). Discussion: The results of this study suggest that message framing may be effective at reducing the robust negative association between narcissism and PBS use for individuals with low PBS norms. Positive messages about individuals that use PBS may be one approach to mitigating problematic alcohol consumption in this at-risk group.

Recent research shows a link between identity and behavior change. Despite the existence of several measures that assess components of drinking identity, no measures examine the idiosyncrasies of a "Responsible Drinking Identity," though responsible drinking is an aim of many alcohol-related interventions. The present study created a measure of responsible drinking identity, the Personal Assessment of Responsible Drinking Identity (PARDI). Two cross-sectional designs and a prospective follow-up were used to develop and assess the psychometric properties of the PARDI. Study 1 used a U.S. national sample of college students who endorsed alcohol use ( n = 911) to conduct an Exploratory Factor Analysis. Study 2 consisted of college students from a Southeastern University ( n = 1,096) and was used to conduct a Confirmatory Factor Analysis, as well as evaluate convergent, discriminant, concurrent, and incremental validity. A subsample from Study 2 was then assessed after 1 month ( n = 194). The follow-up examined test-retest reliability and predictive validity. The PARDI consists of four identity-based factors that are indicative of responsible drinking. The measure had adequate validity across all domains and good test-retest reliability. The measure appears to predict future protective behaviorial strategies (safe drinking behaviors), which mediates the relationship between the PARDI and both future alcohol use and consequences, suggesting safe or responsible drinking identity may drive a key behavioral target of substance use interventions. The PARDI may offer a tool to aid in quantifying underlying constructs of identity and behavior change in substance use interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The mechanisms through which oral commensal bacteria mitigates uncontrolled inflammatory responses of the oral mucosa remain unknown. Here, we show that representative oral bacterial species normally associated with oral health [S. gordonii ( Sg ), V. parvula ( Vp ), A. naeslundii ( An ), C. sputigena ( Cs ), and N. mucosa ( Nm )] enhanced differential chemokine responses in oral epithelial cells (OECs), with some bacteria ( An, Vp, and Nm ) inducing higher chemokine levels (CXCL1, CXCL8) than others ( Sg, Cs ). Although all bacterial species (except Cs ) increased CCL20 mRNA levels consistent with protein elevations in cell lysates, only An, Vp , and Nm induced higher CCL20 secretion, similar to the effect of the oral pathogen F. nucleatum (Fn) . In contrast, most CCL20 remained associated with OECs exposed to Sg and negligible amounts released into the cell supernatants. Consistently, Sg attenuated An -induced CCL20. MiR-4516 and miR-663a were identified as Sg -specifically induced miRNAs modulating validated targets of chemokine-associated pathways. Cell transfection with miR-4516 and miR-663a decreased An - and Fn -induced CCL20. MiRNA upregulation and attenuation of An -induced CCL20 by Sg were reversed by catalase. Up-regulation of both miRNAs was specifically enhanced by oral streptococci H 2 O 2 -producers. These findings suggest that CCL20 levels produced by OECs in response to bacterial challenge are regulated by Sg -induced miR-4516 and miR-663a in a mechanism that involves hydrogen peroxide. This type of molecular mechanism could partly explain the central role of specific oral streptococcal species in balancing inflammatory and antimicrobial responses given the critical role of CCL20 in innate (antimicrobial) and adaptive immunity (modulates Th17 responses).