Examining the Role of Executive Functions on the Intention-Behavior Gap of Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategy Use

Alcohol protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are health behaviors that minimize the likelihood or severity of consequences associated with alcohol use; however, these strategies are inconsistently used. One potential explanation for this lack of consistent use is a discrepancy between the intention to drink safely and actually drinking safely, termed the intention-behavior gap. Some drinkers have the intention to drink safely but lack the ability to effectively initiate and execute the harm reduction behaviors. As such, executive functions (EF: cognitive abilities associated with goal-directed behavior) may be one individual difference factor that helps identify for whom these "gaps" are greater or smaller.

Using ecological momentary assessment, this study explored the extent to which an intention-behavior gap in PBS use exists among college student drinkers (n = 77) and investigated how potential individual differences in EF (i.e., working memory, set-shifting, and inhibition) moderated the intention-behavior gap. Daily monitoring assessments contained brief measures of intention to use PBS, actual strategy use, and alcohol-related behaviors, and were assessed daily for 21 days.

Multilevel model analyses revealed that although intention to use strategies predicted actual strategy use, measures of EF did not significantly moderate the relationship.

Efforts to increase intentions to use PBS should be included in alcohol use prevention and intervention programs for all drinkers, regardless of differences in EF ability.