Impact of diet-related cancer prevention messages written with cognitive and affective arguments on message characteristics, stage of change, and self-efficacy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if participants reading messages matched to a preferred style of message argument respond more favorably than participants reading unmatched messages.


METHODS
Randomized trial using telephone and in-person surveys and cognitive response interviews.


METHODS
University campus.


METHODS
Of 125 initially interested, a convenience sample of 100 university employees completed the study (female: 88%, white: 94%, mean age: 43.7).


METHODS
Participants read 2 print messages written with cognitive (COG) (fact based) or affective (AFF) (story based) arguments.


METHODS
7-point Likert scale ratings of message appeal, understandability, persuasiveness, and relevance according to classification into 1 of 4 message groups: COG-AFF (mismatched to affective), AFF-COG (mismatched to cognitive), COG-COG (matched cognitive), and AFF-AFF (matched affective).


METHODS
1-way analysis of variance (P < or = .05) and systematic review of qualitative interviews.


RESULTS
The COG-AFF group consistently gave the lowest ratings to the affective messages and the AFF-COG group generally gave high scores compared with other message groups. Participants also expressed a desire for more factual information.


CONCLUSIONS
A combination of cognitive and affective arguments may be appealing to subjects with an affective preference but disliked by individuals who prefer only a fact-based approach. Argument format may be an important message design consideration.
Quintiliani
Lisa M
LM
Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7461, USA. quinlisa@email.unc.edu
Carbone
Elena T
ET
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013689:Telephone