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Fitting in and standing out: Increasing the use of alcohol protective behavioral strategies with a deviance regulation intervention

Fitting in and standing out: Increasing the use of alcohol protective behavioral strategies with a deviance regulation intervention

Authors :
Matthew P. Martens
Matthew R. Pearson
Clayton Neighbors
Robert D. Dvorak
Source :
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 83:482-493
Publication Year :
2015
Publisher :
American Psychological Association (APA), 2015.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Heavy alcohol use remains a consistent public health concern on college campuses. The current pilot study used deviance regulation theory (DRT) to modify protective behavioral strategies (PBS) among college student drinkers to reduce alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. METHOD: The sample was comprised of current college student drinkers (n = 76; 53.95% female) ranging in age from 18-24 (M = 19.29, SD = 1.42). Participants were randomly assigned to receive a positively or negatively framed message. They then reported on use of alcohol PBS (via the Protective Behavioral Strategies Scale), alcohol consumption (via the Modified Daily Drinking Questionnaire), and alcohol-related consequences (via the Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire) each week for 6 weeks. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Among drinkers with low PBS use norms, a positively, versus a negatively, framed message resulted in increased PBS use and consequently less alcohol consumption and fewer alcohol-related consequences. Among drinkers with high PBS use norms, a negatively, versus positively, framed message resulted in increased PBS use and consequently lower alcohol consumption and fewer alcohol-related consequences. However, these effects were only relevant among those who strongly believed the DRT frame. FINDINGS suggest assigning drinkers to frames based on perceived PBS use norms and increasing belief in the frame may be 1 approach to increasing responsible drinking patterns among college students. Furthermore, the current data suggests important boundary conditions for norm-based interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record Language: en

Details

ISSN :
19392117 and 0022006X
Volume :
83
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....503dfcb681aeac3d0d0d2053e231d38c
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038902