Perceptions and effects of a brief media literacy intervention targeting adolescent alcohol use: Differences by gender and sensation seeking tendency

Introduction: Media literacy-based interventions have been identified as promising approaches to address adolescent alcohol use, but existing interventions take too much classroom time and have not been evaluated rigorously or to assess mechanisms of change. In addition, evaluations have not examined the moderating effects of gender and sensation seeking on different modes of teaching these interventions, namely whether the lessons focus on message analysis activities or message planning/production activities. This study assesses gender and sensation seeking influences on perceptions and effects of a pilot test of two versions of the brief Youth Message Development curriculum.

Methods: One hundred forty nine 10th grade high school students (age 14-16) from across Pennsylvania (representing rural, suburban, and urban school districts) participated in testing the 75 minute curriculum. Half of the students participated in a poster planning session while half engaged in a control activity (analysis only). The first half of both conditions was identical. The analyses consisted of regressions using gender, curriculum version, and the gender X curriculum version interaction. Curriculum perceptions focused on involvement, novelty, learning, reflection, and ratings of program components. Examined effects included positive alcohol expectancies, norms (perceived peer use) and alcohol use intentions.

Results and Discussion: Both gender and sensation seeking interacted with the curriculum version to influence perceptions of the curriculum and related outcomes. The developers of the Youth Message Development curriculum are taking these moderating effects into account in revising the curriculum prior to a planned feasibility pre/post-test evaluation during spring of 2011