Validation of the adapted English version of the Substance Use Protective Strategies Scale among U.S. college students.

Abstract

Substance use (and polysubstance use in particular) is prevalent and associated with a range of negative outcomes among young adults. The Substance Use Protective Strategies Scale (SUPSS) was originally developed and validated using a Polish sample and is a substance-general measure of cognitive-behavioral strategies aimed at reducing substance-related harms associated with the use of multiple substances. The present study developed an adapted version of the SUPSS for the purposes of examining the psychometric properties and validity of this measure in a large sample of U.S. college students (n = 2,566) recruited across 10 universities who reported past-month substance use. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we found an adequate fit for a four-factor model, consistent with the developmental sample. Using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis, we found support for scalar invariance of the SUPSS across distinct sociodemographic groups and those using distinct substances. Generally, the SUPSS subscales were positively associated with alcohol and cannabis protective behavioral strategies use and negatively associated with alcohol- and cannabis-related outcomes (frequency, consequences, disorder symptoms). The present study was limited by its cross-sectional design and exclusive reliance on retrospective self-reports. Future research using longitudinal and experimental designs can determine the prospective and causal effects of these substance-general protective behavioral strategies on substance-related outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).