Improving Prevention Curricula: Lessons Learned Through Formative Research on the Youth Message Development Curriculum

Kathryn Greene; Danielle Catona; Elvira Elek; Kate Magsamen-Conrad; Smita C Banerjee; Michael L Hecht

doi:10.1080/10810730.2016.1222029

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Improving Prevention Curricula: Lessons Learned Through Formative Research on the Youth Message Development Curriculum

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Improving Prevention Curricula: Lessons Learned Through Formative Research on the Youth Message Development Curriculum

Kathryn Greene, Danielle Catona, Elvira Elek, Kate Magsamen-Conrad, Smita C Banerjee and Michael L Hecht

Journal of health communication, Vol.21(10), pp.1071-1078

10/2016

DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2016.1222029

PMCID: PMC5059838

PMID: 27684111

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Abstract

This article describes formative research (a pilot study, interviews, and focus groups) conducted as part of a feasibility test of 2 versions (Analysis vs. Planning) of a brief media literacy intervention titled Youth Message Development (YMD). The intervention targets high school student alcohol use with activities to understand persuasion strategies, increase counter-arguing, and then apply these new skills to ad analysis or a more engaging ad poster planning activity. Based on the theory of active involvement (Greene, 2013), the Planning curriculum is proposed to be more effective than the Analysis curriculum. Overall, results of the formative research indicated that students (N = 182) and mentors/teachers (N = 53) perceived the YMD Planning curriculum as more interesting, involving, and novel, and these ratings were associated with increased critical thinking about the impact of advertising, lower alcohol use intentions, and fewer positive expectations about the effects of alcohol use. Qualitative feedback indicated a need to supplement alcohol-focused ad stimuli with ads targeting other advertising images, use incentives and competition-based activities to further enhance student motivation, and provide flexibility to enhance the appropriateness of the curriculum to various settings. These concerns led to the development of a revised curriculum and plans for further study.

Alcohol Drinking - prevention & control

Persuasive Communication

Students - statistics & numerical data

Humans

Alcohol Drinking - psychology

Focus Groups

Male

Feasibility Studies

Pilot Projects

Students - psychology

Health Communication - methods

Adolescent

Curriculum

Female

Advertising as Topic

Qualitative Research

School Health Services

Details

Title: Subtitle: Improving Prevention Curricula: Lessons Learned Through Formative Research on the Youth Message Development Curriculum
Creators: Kathryn Greene - a Department of Communication , Rutgers University , New Brunswick , New Jersey , USA
Danielle Catona - b College of Communication and the Arts , Seton Hall University , South Orange , New Jersey , USA
Elvira Elek - c RTI International , Washington , DC , USA
Kate Magsamen-Conrad - d Bowling Green State University , Bowling Green , Ohio , USA
Smita C Banerjee - e Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center , New York , New York , USA
Michael L Hecht - f REAL Prevention , Clifton , New Jersey , USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of health communication, Vol.21(10), pp.1071-1078
DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2016.1222029
PMID: 27684111
PMCID: PMC5059838
NLM abbreviation: J Health Commun
ISSN: 1081-0730
eISSN: 1087-0415
Publisher: United States
Grant note: P30 CA008748 / NCI NIH HHS R21 DA027146 / NIDA NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 10/2016
Academic Unit: Communication Studies
Record Identifier: 9984002582702771

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