drink refusal self-efficacy

I am giving up booze for January. I'm already over half a day in and there are no withdrawal symptoms to report so far.

I thought I may as well announce it here to bind myself officially and discourage recidivist backsliding.

An early test will be watching the Pro12: Cardiff Blues v Scarlets game at five o'clock. The BBC say it is live on the iPlayer and Dan Fish returns at full-back. Is it possible to watch a game of ruby on the TV without a can of lager in hand? We shall see.

Prodnose: Drinking refusal self-efficacy?

Myself (with some little impatience): One's perceived ability to resist drinking in high-risk situations. It is distinct from alcohol expectancy which deals with assumptions about the effects of drinking alcohol on one's behaviour and mood.

Prodnose (superciliously): The specificity of these constructs to alcohol consumption has been demonstrated, I imagine?

Myself (infuriated): If using 161 first-year psychology students and multiple regression analyses, is anything to go by; yes. This study indicated that alcohol expectancies and drinking refusal self-efficacy were specifically related to quantity of alcohol consumption, but not to caffeine or nicotine intake.

Prodnose (placated): Well that certainly strengthens the theoretical foundations of alcohol expectancy theory.

Myself (like a nightingale with a toothache): Come back to me on the first of February and we'll see.