The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #64473

Lela Jacobsohn, MA, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6220, 215-564-0465, ljacobsohn@asc.upenn.edu

This paper explores the relationships between youth evaluations of anti-drug messages (ADM), youth exposure to ADM, and effectiveness of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign (NYAMC). Specifically, we hypothesized that the effects of ADM exposure will be contingent upon ADM evaluation such that for respondents with higher compared to lower ADM evaluation, ADM exposure will be more likely to lead to the desired marijuana-related outcomes. Data was collected over two years, in five waves, from a national sample ranging from approximately 2,300 to 3,300 youth, ages 12-18 years. Cross-sectional and longitudinal data were examined with regression analyses. As of May 2002, the data indicated the presence of unfavorable effects of NYAMC. Findings were consistent with the interpretation that, as predicted, ADM evaluation moderated the relationship between exposure and effects on marijuana-related outcomes. Reactance theory can explain such findings, in that, individuals predisposed to negative ADM evaluations will react adversely to ADM exposure, rejecting the message arguments. We were cautious in “over-interpreting” these results due to their newness and their basis in only a portion of the total sample. However, more recent and complete data from November 2002 also provide evidence of unfavorable effects of the NYAMC on youth. Analysis of five waves of data shows a pattern, though no longer statistically significant, consistent with the notion that ADM evaluation may play a critical role in explaining the undesired effects of campaign exposure. Implications of these findings on health communication, subsequent media campaign design and evaluation, and future research are discussed.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant will be able to:
• Recognize and assess the potential for statistically significant undesirable, or boomerang, effects of large-scale mass media public health promotion and education efforts, particularly in the context of reactance theory.
• Discuss the potentially powerful role that audience evaluation of public health advertisements or messages can play in the effectiveness of public health communication campaigns.
• Apply presented experiences to develop useful study design and analysis plan for evaluations of public health campaigns.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.