title: The effects of self-efficacy statements in humorous anti-alcohol abuse messages targeting college students: who is in charge?
abstract: This study examined the effect of self-efficacy statements in humorous anti-alcohol abuse television advertisements on college students. A posttest only group design experiment was conducted with 124 college students. It was found that highly rebellious individuals who watched ads with a self-efficacy statement (i.e., "You Are in Control of the Situation") indicated lower alcohol expectancies, higher risk perceptions, and higher intentions to change their drinking behaviors than those in the non-self-efficacy condition. The findings suggest that health promotional messages should be tailored to rebellious college students, particularly those who are at risk, in a manner that not only gains their attention but also minimizes possible defensive reactions to the given messages. Humorous messages with self-efficacy statements could offer ways to communicate with rebellious college students regarding their drinking problems.
authors.affiliation: Public Relations Department, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL 32611-8400, USA. mlee@jou.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Moon J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000329:Advertising; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult