Open AccessA Rebuttal-Based Social Norms-Tailored Cannabis Intervention for At-Risk Adolescents
Author(s) -
Candice D. Donaldson,
Eusebio M. Alvaro,
Andrea L. Ruybal,
Michael J. Coleman,
Jason T. Siegel,
William D. Crano
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
prevention science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1573-6695
pISSN - 1389-4986
DOI - 10.1007/s11121-021-01224-9
Subject(s) - rebuttal , health psychology , cannabis , public health , intervention (counseling) , psychology , brief intervention , clinical psychology , social psychology , psychotherapist , medicine , psychiatry , political science , nursing , law
Many past cannabis prevention campaigns have proven largely ineffective due in part to the diversity of adolescents' cannabis-relevant beliefs. The current studies evaluated the impact of a sequential multiple message approach tailored to the usage norms of adolescents expressing negative attitudes toward a cannabis prevention appeal. A multiple-message strategy was implemented-initial unfavorable message evaluations were invalidated using attitudinal rebuttal feedback prior to presenting a third tailored communication. Participants were cannabis-abstinent middle and high school students (ages 11 to 16). Study 1 (N = 808) compared effects of gain- and loss-framed messages tailored to each student's normative usage perceptions. In Study 2 (N = 391), students were randomly assigned to receive a tailored or non-tailored message after receiving feedback meant to destabilize anti-message attitudes. For at-risk adolescents in Study 1 who perceived cannabis use as normative, a tailored gain-framed message resulted in the lowest usage intentions (p < .05). In Study 2, a conditional multiple-moderated mediation model showed that for high-risk teens with normative beliefs and pro-cannabis attitudes, exposure to a tailored gain-framed communication was associated with decreased cannabis attitude certainty, and lower usage intentions 2 months later (p < .05). Findings have implications for sequential messaging utilization in mass media campaigns and support the efficacy of tailored messages over a one-size-fits-all media approach. Further, results suggest that systematically weakening resistance to persuasive communications and tailoring messages consistent with individually perceived peer norms is an effective prevention strategy.