Thesis
Reducing reactivity to binge drinking messages: a comparative approach
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2017
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/102054
Abstract
Binge drinking continues to be widely prevalent in the U.S. despite many health campaigns to reduce the behavior. Young adults (ages 17-25) and college students, in particular, are an especially at-risk population for binge drinking and therefore many anti-binge drinking campaigns have been targeted toward this population. However, several public health campaigns using messages, and others specifically attempting to reduce heavy drinking in college student populations, have backfired leading to increased alcohol consumption. One explanation for the increased consumption during these campaigns is defensive reactions towards the messages. Psychological Reactance Theory offers a framework to explain these defensive reactions. If people feel their autonomy has been threatened (e.g. by strong language in a health message advocating behavior change), they will act to restore their sense of freedom to make independent choices, which can lead to negative behavioral outcomes. Several interventions have been shown to reduce the effects of psychological reactance, including self-affirmation approaches and the addition of a postscript after a message intended to restore one's sense of autonomy. In a 2 (message threat) x 3 (intervention) between-subjects design (N=284), the effects of selfaffirmation, a restoring autonomy postscript, and a control condition were tested on reactance, binge drinking intentions, and binge drinking behavior in response to high and low threat binge drinking messages. There were no main effects of intervention on any outcome variables. High threat messages were associated with more reactance (anger and negative cognitions), but not increased drinking intentions or behavior. Past 30-day binge drinking (risk) moderated the intervention X message effects on anger and next-week binge drinking. The current investigation did not find support for brief interventions to reduce immediate reactance, intentions or behavior. However, the effect of such interventions may be dependent upon previous experience with the targeted behavior, suggesting a complex relationship regarding the effect of health messages on immediate and planned outcomes.
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Details
- Title
- Reducing reactivity to binge drinking messages
- Creators
- Bethany Ruth Shorey Fennell
- Contributors
- Renee E. Magnan (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525377201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis