A Multiple Replication Examination of Distal Antecedents to Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies

In the present study, we examined whether we could replicate previous findings that use of protective behavioral strategies (PBSs) mediates the associations between distal antecedents and alcohol-related outcomes in an independent sample. Further, we examined a more comprehensive model to determine which constructs uniquely (i.e., controlling for other distal antecedents) relate to PBS use and alcohol-related outcomes.

Participants were recruited from a psychology department participant pool at a large, southwestern university in the United States (N = 628). The majority of participants identified themselves as being either Hispanic (n = 334, 53.18%) or White, non-Hispanic (n = 212, 33.78%), were female (n = 386, 61.5%), and reported a mean age of 20.30 (SD = 3.80) years.

Across five replication attempts in separate models, we found significant indirect associations of age at first use, self-regulation, impulsivity-like traits, depressive symptoms, and conscientiousness on alcohol-related outcomes (i.e., use and problems) via PBS use. However, only the indirect associations of a second-order latent factor of self-regulation (based on premeditation, perseverance, self-regulation, and conscientiousness) and age at first use on alcohol-related outcomes via PBS use remained significant in the comprehensive model.

Taken together, the replication attempts were largely successful in that nearly all associations were replicated in an independent sample of college students. However, in a comprehensive model with all distal antecedents simultaneously included, most of the direct and indirect associations failed to be supported.