Preference for gain- or loss-framed electronic cigarette prevention messages
Abstract
Background: Effective electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) prevention messages are needed to combat the rising popularity/uptake of e-cigarettes among youth. We examined preferences for e-cigarette prevention messages that either emphasized gains (e.g., You save money by not using e-cigarettes) or losses (e.g., You spend money by using e-cigarettes) among adolescents and young adults.
Methods: Using surveys in two middle schools, four high schools, and one college in CT (N = 5405), we assessed students' preferences for gain- or loss-framed e-cigarette prevention messages related to four themes: financial cost, health risks, addiction potential, and social labeling as a smoker. We also assessed whether preferences for each message framing theme differed by sex, school level, cigarette-use status, and e-cigarette use-status. We also examined whether preference for message framing differed by cigarette and e-cigarette susceptibility status among never e-cigarette users.
Results: Overall, loss-framing was preferred for message themes related to health risks, addiction potential, and social labeling as a smoker, whereas gain-framing was preferred for message themes related to financial cost. Logistic regression analyses showed that 1) females preferred loss-framed messages for all themes relative to males, 2) lifetime e-cigarette users preferred loss-framed health risks and social labeling messages relative to never users, and 3) high school students preferred gain-framed social labeling messages relative to college students. The preference for message framing did not differ by cigarette or e-cigarette susceptibility.
Conclusions: Preference for message framing differed by themes and individual characteristics. This formative research could inform the construction of persuasive e-cigarette prevention messages. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Repository Citation
Kong, G., D.A. Cavallo, D.R. Camenga, M.E. Morean, and S. Krishnan-Sarin. 2016. "Preference for gain- or loss-framed electronic cigarette prevention messages." Addictive Behaviors 62: 108-113.
Publisher
Elsevier
Publication Date
11-1-2016
Publication Title
Addictive Behaviors
Department
Psychology
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.06.015
Keywords
Message framing, Electronic cigarettes
Language
English
Format
text
