Table 1.
Endorsement rates of specific protective behavioral strategies
| PBS ITEM | % endorse usually or always | % endorse never |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pace your drinks to 1 or fewer per hour | 29.2% (n = 33) | 21.2% (n = 24) |
| 2. Limit money spent on alcohol | 60.2% (n = 69) | 12.4% (n = 14) |
| 3. Only drink in safe environments | 80.5% (n = 91) | 1.8% (n = 2) |
| 4. Make your own drinks | 58.4% (n = 66) | 8.0% (n = 9) |
| 5. Avoid hard liquor or spirits | 26.5% (n = 30) | 16.8% (n = 19) |
| 6. Refuse a drink from a stranger | 74.3% (n = 84) | 3.5% (n = 4) |
| 7. Never leave your drink unattended | 81.4% (n = 92) | 6.2% (n = 7) |
| 8. Choose not to drink alcohol | 15.9% (n = 18) | 6.2% (n = 7) |
| 9. Drink an alcohol look-alike (non-alcoholic beer, etc) | 4.4% (n = 5) | 46.0% (n = 52) |
| 10. Hang out with trusted friends | 89.4% (n = 101) | 0.9% (n = 1) |
| 11. Participate in activities that did not include alcohol | 51.3% (n = 58) | 0.9% (n = 1) |
| 12. Carry around a cup but not drink any alcohol | 13.3% (n = 15) | 47.8% (n = 54) |
| 13. Use public transportation services | 28.3% (n = 32) | 25.7% (n = 29) |
| 14. Avoid situations where there was alcohol | 10.6% (n = 12) | 22.1% (n = 25) |
| 15. Reward myself for limiting | 15.0% (n = 17) | 26.5% (n = 30) |
| 16. Punish myself for not limiting | 11.5% (n = 13) | 46.0% (n = 52) |
| 17. Drink less when driving | 83.2% (n = 94) | 7.1% (n = 8) |
| 18. Confine drinking to certain times | 53.1% (n = 60) | 7.1% (n = 8) |
| 19. Use body sensations to slow down | 46.0% (n = 52) | 12.4% (n = 14) |
| 20. Avoid “pregaming” (i.e., drinking before going out) | 28.3% (n = 32) | 20.4% (n = 23) |
| 21. Determine not to exceed a set number of drinks | 41.6% (n = 47) | 8.8% (n = 10) |
| 22. Alternate alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks | 30.1% (n = 34) | 9.7% (n = 11) |
| 23. Have a friend let you know when you've had enough | 38.9% (n = 44) | 21.2% (n = 24) |
| 24. Leave the bar/party at a predetermined time | 39.8% (n = 45) | 10.6% (n = 12) |
| 25. Stop drinking at a predetermined time | 37.2% (n = 42) | 13.3% (n = 15) |
| 26. Drink water while drinking alcohol | 39.8% (n = 45) | 8.8% (n = 10) |
| 27. Put extra ice in your drink | 26.5% (n = 30) | 18.6% (n = 21) |
| 28. Avoid drinking games | 24.8% (n = 28) | 8.8% (n = 10) |
| 29. Avoid drinking shots of liquor | 31.9% (n = 36) | 12.4% (n = 14) |
| 30. Avoid mixing different types of alcohol | 34.5% (n = 39) | 9.7% (n = 11) |
| 31. Drink slowly, rather than gulp or chug | 53.1% (n = 60) | 5.3% (n = 6) |
| 32. Avoid trying to "keep up" or out-drink others | 57.5% (n = 65) | 3.5% (n = 4) |
| 33. Use a designated driver | 78.8% (n = 89) | 4.4% (n = 5) |
| 34. Make sure that you go home with a friend | 77.9% (n = 88) | 3.5% (n = 4) |
| 35. Know where your drink has been at all times | 84.1% (n = 95) | 1.8% (n = 2) |
| 36. Refuse to ride in a car with someone who has been drinking | 72.6% (n = 82) | 4.4% (n = 5) |
| 37. Only go out with people you know and trust | 82.3% (n = 93) | 2.7% (n = 3) |
| 38. Avoid combining alcohol with marijuana | 61.1% (n = 59) | 8.8% (n = 10) |
| 39. Make sure you drink with people who can take care of you if you drink too much | 85.8% (n = 97) | 2.7% (n = 3) |
| 40. Eat before or during drinking | 77.9% (n = 88) | 0.9% (n = 1) |
| 41. Keep track of how many drinks you were having | 62.8% (n = 71) | 4.4% (n = 5) |
Note. Items 1-14 are from the Protective Behavioral Strategies Measure (PBSM; Novik & Boekeloo, 2005). Items 15-19 are from the Behavioral Self-Control Strategies (BSCS; Werch, 1990). Items 20-41 are from the Protective Behavioral Strategies Scale (PBSS; Martens et al., 2005; Treloar et al. 2015).