A comprehensive review of measures of protective behavioral strategies across various risk factors and associated PBS-related interventions.

Peterson, Roselyn; Kramer, Matthew P.; Pinto, Daniel; A, De Leon; Leary, Angelina V.; Marin, Armando A; Cora, Jessica L; Dvorak, Robert D.

doi:10.1037/pha0000498

Cited by 46 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 120 publications

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“…Several interventions, across multiple behavioural outcomes, have used PBS as an intervention target (see Peterson et al, 2021). Recent research has utilized deviance regulation theory, a social psychological theory, to increase PBS use and subsequently decrease alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences (Dvorak, Pearson, Neighbors, & Martens, 2015;Dvorak et al, 2016;Dvorak, Troop-Gordon, et al, 2018).…”

Section: Protective Behavioral Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using counterfactual thinking theory to change alcohol protective behavioural strategy use intentions

Dvorak

Smallman

et al. 2021

British J Health Psychol

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Objectives. Despite numerous drinking interventions, alcohol use among college students remains a significant problem. Typically activated after negative events, counterfactual thinking is a cognitive process that contrasts reality with an imagined better alternative. As a result, counterfactual thinking highlights potential causal links between problematic behaviours and negative outcomes, which can strengthen intentions to change behaviour. Recent research has found that modifying behavioural intentions to engage in protective behavioural strategies (PBS) has led to increased PBS use and reduced alcohol outcomes. The current study evaluated counterfactual thinking as a way to increase PBS use intentions.Design. Intervention US study with college student drinkers.Methods. A sample of college students (n = 466) completed a web-based assessment of demographics, drinking, alcohol consequences, and PBS use. Those who endorsed an adverse drinking event were randomly assigned to an intervention condition (Control, Negative event only, Negative event with description, or Negative event with counterfactual). Following the intervention, participants reported intentions to engage in each PBS subtype over the next week.Results. Relative to control, the counterfactual condition resulted in greater PBS use intentions across all subtypes. Neither the negative event only nor the negative event with description resulted in higher PBS use intentions, relative to control. Importantly, the control group did not report whether they experienced a negative event; thus, we cannot definitively determine the effect this may have on the data.Conclusions. This study provides a new theory-driven avenue for alcohol use interventions utilizing counterfactual thinking to enhance safe drinking intentions.

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Section: Protective Behavioral Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using counterfactual thinking theory to change alcohol protective behavioural strategy use intentions

Dvorak

Smallman

et al. 2021

British J Health Psychol

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“…PBS are specific harm-reduction behaviors that individuals can use, while engaging in risky activities, in order to reduce and/or eliminate risks inherent to the activity (Peterson et al, 2021). For alcohol, these behaviors tend to fall into three broad categories (Pearson et al, 2012).…”

Section: Pbsmentioning

confidence: 99%

From if-then to here and now: Using personalized counterfactuals from past negative experiences to reduce future alcohol consequences.

Smallman¹,

Arthur²,

Dvorak³

et al. 2023

Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology

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College students are at an increased risk for problematic alcohol use. To address this health concern, several interventions have used protective behavioral strategies (PBS). However, interventions promoting PBS remain underdeveloped and underutilized. Counterfactual thinking is a type of postmortem cognitive strategy that highlights causal links between a behavior and a negative outcome. Recent research demonstrates the effectiveness of applying counterfactuals for increasing PBS use intentions. The present study examines the effect of a brief counterfactual-based intervention for increasing PBS use and decreasing adverse alcohol outcomes. Undergraduate students (n = 73) completed an online multiweek (baseline and five weekly follow-ups) intervention. At baseline, participants completed demographics, PBS use, and alcohol use and consequences. They were then randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a control (negative event only), sham (negative event with detailed description), or counterfactual (If only … then …) condition. At weekly follow-up sessions, participants completed PBS use and alcohol use and consequences from the previous week. The counterfactual condition was presented with their counterfactuals generated at baseline. Relative to the active control, the counterfactual condition reported greater use of PBS across the five-week follow-ups. This in turn resulted in decreases in alcohol consumed and alcohol-related consequences. This study highlights the effectiveness of counterfactual thinking as a relevant harm-reduction strategy for alcohol-related outcomes in college students.

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“…In contrast, SHR is often linked to problems, but not consumption (Pearson, 2013). Thus, although some PBS interventions have examined PBS as a single construct (see Dvorak, Troop-Gordon, et al, 2018; Martens et al, 2013), it has been suggested that interventions targeting PBS examine each subscale independently, rather than using a combined single construct (Peterson et al, 2021).…”

Section: Alcohol Norms Among Ftic Studentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Test of a deviance regulation theory intervention among first-year college student drinkers: Differential effects via frequency and quantity norms.

Leary¹,

Dvorak²,

Troop‐Gordon

et al. 2022

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors

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First-time-in-college (FTIC) students, or college freshmen, are at a heightened risk of experiencing alcohol-related consequences, as these individuals are relatively inexperienced with alcohol and have tremendous pressure to assimilate to new norms. The current study investigates the use of a Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT) intervention, presented in a webbased format, to increase the use of Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS) among FTIC students. METHOD: FTIC students (n = 157) completed weekly surveys for six weeks, which examined alcohol use and consequences, PBS use, and perceived PBS norms. Participants were randomly assigned one of three conditions: 1) a positive-framed message about individuals who do use PBS, 2) a negative-framed message about individuals who do not use PBS, or 3) a control group that received no messaging. RESULTS: Results suggest the negative-framed message increases PBS use across time for individuals high PBS norms, consistent with DRT. The positive-frame message did not change PBS use across time. However, the positive message was associated with more PBS use at the weekly-level when an individual had low PBS norms, consistent with DRT. Results also suggest PBS norms grew across time. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide initial support for the use of a DRT prevention program for FTIC students. Public Health Relevance: These results can help inform future campaigns aimed at decreasing alcohol-related consequences among Freshmen college students. Furthermore, results suggest that changes in norms across drinking occasions may support the use of adaptive messaging programs.

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A comprehensive review of measures of protective behavioral strategies across various risk factors and associated PBS-related interventions.

Cited by 46 publications

References 120 publications

Using counterfactual thinking theory to change alcohol protective behavioural strategy use intentions

Using counterfactual thinking theory to change alcohol protective behavioural strategy use intentions

From if-then to here and now: Using personalized counterfactuals from past negative experiences to reduce future alcohol consequences.

Test of a deviance regulation theory intervention among first-year college student drinkers: Differential effects via frequency and quantity norms.

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