title: Adolescents' attitudes toward antimarijuana ads, usage intentions, and actual marijuana usage.
abstract: The association of adolescents' appraisals of the antimarijuana TV ads used in the National Youth Antidrug Media Campaign with future marijuana use was investigated. The 12- to 18-year-old respondents (N = 2,993) were first classified as users, resolute nonusers, or vulnerable nonusers (Crano, Siegel, Alvaro, Lac, & Hemovich, 2008). Usage status and the covariates of gender, age, and attitudes toward marijuana were used to predict attitudes toward the ads (Aad) in the first phase of a multilevel linear analysis. All covariates were significantly associated with Aad, as was usage status: Resolute nonusers evaluated the ads significantly more positively than vulnerable nonusers and users (all ps < .001), who did not differ. In the second phase, the covariates along with Aad and respondents' usage status predicted intentions and actual usage 1 year after initial measurement. The lagged analysis disclosed negative associations between Aad and usage intentions and between Aad and actual marijuana use (both ps < .05); however, this association held only for users (p < .01), not vulnerable or resolute nonusers. Users who reported more positive attitudes toward the ads were less likely to report intention to use marijuana and to continue marijuana use at 1-year follow-up. These findings may inform designers of persuasion-based prevention campaigns, guiding preimplementation efforts in the design of ads that targeted groups find appealing and thus, influential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences, Claremont Graduate University.
authors.forename: Eusebio M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Alvaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences, Claremont Graduate University.
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Crano
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences, Claremont Graduate University.
authors.forename: Jason T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Siegel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences, Claremont Graduate University.
authors.forename: Zachary
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hohman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences, Claremont Graduate University.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences, Claremont Graduate University.
authors.forename: Brandon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nakawaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000329:Advertising; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000523:psychology*