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Conscientiousness, protective behavioral strategies, and alcohol use: testing for mediated effects
Matthew P Martens1, Michael A Karakashian, Kristie M Fleming
1Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. martensmp@missouri.edu
Journal of Drug Education
|March 4, 2010
Summary
Conscientiousness influences college student drinking habits. Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) mediate the link between conscientiousness and alcohol use, as well as alcohol-related problems, offering insights for prevention.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- College students are at high risk for alcohol misuse.
- Conscientiousness is a personality trait linked to health behaviors.
- Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) may mitigate risky drinking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if PBS mediate the relationship between conscientiousness and alcohol use.
- To examine the mediation effect of PBS on alcohol-related problems.
Main Methods:
- Survey data from 186 college students in the Northeastern United States.
- Data collected during the 2006-2007 academic years.
- Statistical mediation analysis was employed.
Main Results:
- Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) significantly mediated the association between conscientiousness and alcohol consumption.
- PBS also mediated the relationship between conscientiousness and alcohol-related problems.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest PBS are a key mechanism linking conscientiousness to reduced alcohol risks in college students.
- Implications for researchers and clinicians in developing targeted interventions for high-risk college drinking.
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