Related Experiment Videos
Reasons students give for limiting drinking: a factor analysis with implications for research and practice
T K Greenfield1, J Guydish, M T Temple
1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco 94143-9840.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol
|March 1, 1989
Summary
This study identified four key motivations for limiting alcohol consumption: self-control, upbringing, self-reform, and performance. These findings aid in understanding and evaluating alcohol reduction strategies.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Self-regulation of alcohol consumption is crucial for public health.
- Understanding the motivations behind limiting drinking is essential for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and validate cognitive dimensions associated with self-regulation of alcohol consumption.
- To develop and assess the reliability of a scale measuring these motivations.
Main Methods:
- A 22-item Reasons for Limiting Drinking (RLD) scale was administered to 2,482 student drinkers across nine universities.
- Factor analysis was employed on the data to identify underlying motivational factors.
- Reliability analysis was conducted to construct and validate subscales.
Main Results:
- Four distinct motivational factors were consistently identified: self-control, upbringing, self-reform, and performance, explaining 39% of the variance.
- The developed subscales demonstrated adequate internal reliability (alphas = .66-.73).
- Relationships between these factors and demographic, alcohol consumption, and problem indicators were summarized.
Conclusions:
- The Reasons for Limiting Drinking (RLD) scale effectively measures key cognitive dimensions of alcohol self-regulation.
- These validated subscales are suitable for brief research and have practical applications in participant screening and program evaluation for alcohol interventions.