Alcohol expectancies, protective behavioral strategies, and alcohol-related outcomes: A moderated mediation study

Aims: The influence of alcohol expectancies on alcohol consumption and the negative consequences of alcohol consumption among college students has been well documented. Protective behavioral strategies are associated with decreases in alcohol use and related consequences. This study examined the extent to which the use of protective behavioral strategies mediated the influence that alcohol expectancies had for alcohol consumption and negative alcohol-related consequences. Methods: Measures of expectancies about alcohol consumption, protective behavioral strategies used when consuming alcohol, amount of alcohol consumed and negative consequences associated with alcohol use were completed by 679 traditional age undergraduate students via a secure website. A moderated mediation data analytic strategy was employed because of the gender differences that have been observed for alcohol expectancies, consumption, and consequences. Findings: The use of protective behavioral strategies was found to mediate the associations that positive expectancies had with both the amount of alcohol consumed and the negative consequences of alcohol consumption only for women. Conclusions: Education and harm reduction efforts for college student drinkers, including expectancy challenge initiatives, would benefit from including information about use of protective behavioral strategies.