Influencing inhalant intentions by changing socio-personal expectations.
This study investigates an approach for reducing inhalant initiation among younger adolescents: altering Socio-Personal Expectations (SPEs), a term referring to perceived linkages between behavior and personally relevant social outcomes. The study focuses specifically on SPEs regarding outcomes associated with increased social status and popularity. An anti-inhalant message was embedded within a short anti-bullying education video. Young adolescents (N=893) were assigned randomly to receive a message focused on the physical or the social harms of inhalant use. The objectives of this study were to test: (1) the malleability of SPEs, (2) SPEs' predictive validity for future inhalant use, and (3) whether being exposed to a socio-personal threat, rather than a physical threat, led to different variables affecting drug-relevant decision-making processes. Analysis of variance suggested the malleability of SPEs (p< .001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that SPEs were predictive of future inhalant use. SPEs accounted for a significant portion of variance in future intentions over and above demographic variables, prior use, psychosocial variables, and perceived physical harm (R(2)= .26, p< .01). Moreover, being exposed to a social, rather than a physical threat, message resulted in different variables being predictive of future intentions to use inhalants.
Department of Psychology, School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences, Claremont Graduate University, 123 East 8th Street, Claremont, CA 91711, USA. Jason.siegel@cgu.edu
Jason T
JT
Siegel
Eusebio M
EM
Alvaro
William D
WD
Crano
Jessica
J
Skenderian
Andrew
A
Lac
Neil
N
Patel
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002140:California; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires