The Protection Motivation Theory as a Predictor of the Use of Protective Behavioral Strategies among Young Adults

Abstract

Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS) have shown to be effective in minimizing alcohol-related negative consequences. However, previous studies on the explanatory factors of PBS use are scarce. The Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) is a social cognition theory which attempts to explain intention to use protective behaviors in respond to health threats such as alcohol-related negative consequences. According to PMT, the likelihood of engaging in protective behaviors when facing a threat is a product of two processes: threat appraisal (perceived severity and perceived vulnerability to the threat) and coping appraisal (response efficacy and perceived self-efficacy for using a protective behavior). We examined the predictive utility of the PMT on the intention to use PBS related to the Manner of Drinking (MOD) among a community sample of young adults. Prospective study that recruited 360 young adults aged 18-24 years by targeted sampling procedure (Mage=21.15 [SD=2.23]; female=50.3%). Most baseline participants (94.2%, n=339) completed a 2-months follow-up assessment. Perceived severity and perceived vulnerability to alcohol use, perceived efficacy of MOD strategies to reduce alcohol-related negative consequences, and self-efficacy to engage in MOD strategies were measured at baseline, and intention to use MOD strategies at follow-up. A multiple lineal regression model for predicting intention to use MOD strategies was used. Perceived severity (β=.13, p=.017), response efficacy (β=.270, p<.001), and selfefficacy (β=.240, p<.000) were positively associated with high intention to use MOD protective strategies. In line with previous research, our findings demonstrated that coping-appraisal components of PMT are more explanatory of protective behaviors than threat-appraisal components. These results may be useful to inform interventions aimed at increasing PBS use among young adults.