title: Message framing for health: moderation by perceived susceptibility and motivational orientation in a diverse sample of Americans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study examined how gain- and loss-framed informational videos about oral health influence self-reported flossing behavior over a 6-month period, as well as the roles of perceived susceptibility to oral health problems and approach/avoidance motivational orientation in moderating these effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  An age and ethnically diverse sample of 855 American adults were randomized to receive no health message, or either a gain-framed or loss-framed video presented on the Internet. Self-reported flossing was assessed longitudinally at 2 and 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the entire sample, susceptibility interacted with frame to predict flossing. Participants who watched a video where the frame (gain/loss) matched perceived susceptibility (low/high) had significantly greater likelihood of flossing at recommended levels at the 6-month follow-up, compared with those who viewed a mismatched video or no video at all. However, young adults (18-24) showed stronger moderation by motivational orientation than by perceived susceptibility, in line with previous work largely conducted with young adult samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brief informational interventions can influence long-term health behavior, particularly when the gain- or loss-frame of the information matches the recipient's beliefs about their health outcome risks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Kent State University.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Updegraff
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara.
authors.forename: Cameron
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brick
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida.
authors.forename: Amber S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Emanuel
authors.affiliation: Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Roy E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Mintzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara.
authors.forename: David K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Sherman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009909:Oral Health / Q000193:education*; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D018570:Risk Assessment; D057566:Self Report; D014481:United States; D014741:Video Recording; D055815:Young Adult