Further Validation of the Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire for Assessing Motivations for Responsible Drinking: A Test of Self-Determination Theory

Alcohol protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are cognitive-behavioral strategies used before, during, and/or after drinking to reduce alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Self-determination theory (SDT) provides a potentially useful framework to understand motivations for responsible drinking, which is operationalized in the present study as PBS use. In the present study, we examined the relation of motivations for responsible drinking, as assessed by the Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire (TSRQ), with other SDT constructs (psychological need satisfaction and dispositional autonomy) and PBS use. A sample of 507 college students who reported consuming alcohol at least once in the past 3 months were recruited from a random sample of students enrolled at a Hispanic serving institution to complete an online survey. Consistent with SDT and previous studies of the TSRQ, we found support for a 4-factor structure of the TSRQ. The TSRQ demonstrated measurement invariance across several sociodemographic subgroups within the sample (e.g., biological sex, age, year in school), supporting the use of the TSRQ across these subgroups. Further, consistent with SDT-based hypotheses, greater psychological need satisfaction and dispositional autonomy were related to more self-determined motivations for responsible drinking. Also consistent with SDT, more self-determined motivations for responsible drinking were related to more frequent PBS use. The present findings further support the utility of the TSRQ for assessing motivations for responsible drinking and support SDT as a framework for understanding responsible drinking. Future directions for research applying SDT to understand and promote responsible drinking among college students are discussed. Public Health Significance This study suggests that college students are more likely to engage in alcohol-related protective behavioral strategies if they endorse more autonomous reasons for responsible drinking. Satisfaction of three psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness as well as higher dispositional autonomy are related to more autonomous reasons for responsible drinking. Promoting more autonomous reasons for responsible drinking through alcohol interventions may increase harm reduction behaviors among college students.

Automated summary

This study examines the relationship between motivations for responsible drinking and the use of alcohol protective behavioral strategies among college students. Findings suggest that greater psychological need satisfaction and dispositional autonomy are related to more self-determined motivations for responsible drinking, which in turn are associated with more frequent use of protective behavioral strategies. The study highlights the importance of understanding and promoting responsible drinking behaviors among college students through autonomous motivations.