Date of Award

Spring 2012

Degree Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Michael Madson

Committee Chair Department

Psychology

Committee Member 2

Jon Mandracchia

Committee Member 2 Department

Psychology

Committee Member 3

Richard Mohn

Committee Member 3 Department

Educational Research and Administration

Abstract

Researchers have shown that the college student population is a group with an elevated risk for participating in patterns of heavy episodic alcohol use. Studies have demonstrated that heavy episodic drinking (HED) is related to an increase in a multitude of negative consequences (Wechsler, Lee, Kuo, & Lee, 2002), including approximately 599,000 unintentional injuries and 1,825 deaths among college students each year (Hingson, Edwards, Heeren, & Rosenbloom, 2009). Within the college population, college athletes have exhibited more severe patterns of alcohol consumption as well as more frequent experiences with negative alcohol consequences, making them a population that is at an even greater risk than the typical college student (Hildebrand, Johnson, & Bogle, 2001; Leichliter, Meilman, Presley, & Cashin, 1998). College students' uses of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) have been shown to reduce their experiences with alcohol-related negative consequences (Martens et al., 2004). However, little is known about PBS use within specific at-risk populations such as athletes. This study aimed to identify the relationship between alcohol consumption, the use of protective behavioral strategies, and negative consequences among intercollegiate athletes. Results indicated that PBS significantly accounted for a partial mediation of the relationship between alcohol consumption and negative consequences. Implications for student athlete intervention and prevention programs are discussed as well as limitations of the study and directions for future research.

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