title: Understanding narrative effects in physical activity promotion: the influence of breast cancer survivor testimony on exercise beliefs, self-efficacy, and intention in breast cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Research in health communication has shown that narratives contribute more positively to changing health behaviors than informational messages. The main purposes of this study were to examine and to compare the effects of two messages promoting physical activity, one narrative and the other informational, on the perceptions and behavioral intentions of cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 158 women with breast cancer, undergoing chemotherapy and sedentary, were assigned to read the testimony of a breast cancer survivor who had been physically active during and after treatment (TE group), a content-equivalent message composed of expert recommendations about physical activity in breast cancer patients (RE group), or no message (control group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Source trust was higher in TE group than RE group (p < 0.001). Exercise self-efficacy and exercise intention were higher in TE group than RE and control groups (p < 0.001). However, scores in RE group were higher than those of TE group for beliefs about exercise benefits (p < 0.001) and lower than those of TE and control groups for beliefs about exercise risks (p < 0.001). Source trust, exercise self-efficacy, and beliefs about exercise benefits and risks mediated the relationship between the message and exercise intention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that narratives may be more effective in improving perceived physical abilities and involvement in physical activity, whereas informational messages seem to be more appropriate to convey the benefits and the absence of risks related to physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Motricity, Education Sport and Health - EA 6309, University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis, Nice, France, charlene.falzon@unice.fr.
authors.forename: Charlène
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Falzon
authors.forename: Rémi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Radel
authors.forename: Ambre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cantor
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: d'Arripe-Longueville
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010465:Perception; D063545:Personal Narratives as Topic; D020377:Self Efficacy; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology