The Interaction of Alcohol Expectancies and Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy in High and Low Risk Drinkers

Abstract

While the impact of both alcohol expectancies (AE) and drinking refusal self-efficacy (DRSE) on drinking behaviours are well documented in the literature, there has been some debate, but little empirical investigation, about the relative contribution of these constructs to drinking behaviour. According to both Bandura's (1977; 1986) original formulations of Social Learning Theory, self-efficacy expectancies are a more salient influence on consumption. The results of a discriminant function analysis showed that expectancy variables represented a reliable dimension along which high and low risk drinkers differed. In support of theoretical expectations, variables that are thought to indicate drinking refusal self-efficacy were the best discriminators.

Key Words:

• alcohol expectancies
• drinking refusal self-efficacy
• expectancy theory
• consumption of alcohol
• two-process theory