title: Health message framing effects on attitudes, intentions, and behavior: a meta-analytic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Message framing has been an important focus in health communication research, yet prior meta-analyses found limited support for using framing to increase persuasiveness of health messages.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This meta-analysis distinguished the outcomes used to assess the persuasive impact of framed messages (attitudes, intentions, or behavior).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred eighty-nine effect sizes were identified from 94 peer-reviewed, published studies which compared the persuasive impact of gain- and loss-framed messages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gain-framed messages were more likely than loss-framed messages to encourage prevention behaviors (r = 0.083, p = 0.002), particularly for skin cancer prevention, smoking cessation, and physical activity. No effect of framing was found when persuasion was assessed by attitudes/intentions or among studies encouraging detection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gain-framed messages appear to be more effective than loss-framed messages in promoting prevention behaviors. Research should examine the contexts in which loss-framed messages are most effective, and the processes that mediate the effects of framing on behavior.
authors: Department of Psychology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242-0001, USA. kgalla3@kent.edu
authors: Kristel M
authors: KM
authors: Gallagher
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Updegraff
mesh_terms: D015438:Health Behavior; D058015:Health Communication / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D010565:Persuasive Communication