Responses to Message Source and Presentation Using Psychophysiology

University of Massachusetts, Worcester112 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to use psychophysiological methods to test the effects of a message source (expert and peer) and message presentation types (one-sided and two-sided) to identify the optimal message type for young adults who vape and do not vape.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

112

Conditions

Vaping

Interventions

Expert, one-sidedOTHER

Participants will view a brief description of an expert source and see one-sided e-cigarette education messages.

Expert, two-sidedOTHER

Participants will view a brief description of an expert source and see two-sided e-cigarette education messages.

Peer, one-sidedOTHER

Participants will view a brief description of a peer source and see one-sided e-cigarette education messages.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 24 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Ages 18-24 * Fluent in English * Either vaping in the past 30 days or not having vaped in the past 30 days but susceptible to vaping * Self-reported abstinence of combusted tobacco or marijuana at time of visit Exclusion Criteria: * Ages below 18 or above 24 * Not fluent in English * Not confirmed self-reported abstinence of combusted tobacco or marijuana at time of visit

Locations (1)

UMass Chan Medical School Shaw Building

Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Visual Attention

Visual attention was assessed by measuring dwell time, which is the length of time participants spent on looking at the specific areas of interest (AOIs) collected in miliseconds. Dwell time values were collected for 18 messages, and aggregated to provide the average dwell time scores for each arm. This was done for each vaping status (current vapers and susceptible non-vapers). Higher dwell time scores indicate higher visual attention, indicating better message outcomes.

Time frame: The entire duration of message from beginning of its delivery to the completion of viewing, up to 45 minutes.

Allocation of Cognitive Resources

Heart rate values were collected in beats per minute (BPM) on a per-second basis during the presentation of each 18 distinct messages as well as during the immediately preceding black screen (baseline) for each message. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize changes in the BPM values during the message exposure period by comparing the BPM values collected during each message second to the BPM values collected during the immediately preceding baseline period. These change scores were then averaged across all messages within each study arm to generate a mean BPM value per condition, and this was done for each vaping status (current vapers and susceptible non-vapers). Lower BPM values reflect greater cognitive response, therefore indicate better message outcomes.

Time frame: Baseline and immediately after viewing all the messages (approximately 45 minutes).

Arousal

Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) values were recorded in microsiemens on a per-second basis during the presentation of each 18 distinct messages as well as during the immediately preceding black screen (baseline) for each message. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize changes in GSR values by comparing each message response to its preceding baseline period. These change scores were then averaged across all messages within each study arm to generate a mean GSR score per condition, and this was done for each vaping status group (current vapers and susceptible non-vapers). Higher GSR values reflect greater physiological arousal, and indicate better message outcomes.

Time frame: Baseline and immediately after viewing all the messages (approximately 45 minutes).

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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Secondary Outcomes

Attitudes

Participants' self-reported vaping attitudes were measured by using a five-point bipolar scale using 7 subscale items assessing whether participants thought vaping was enjoyable, healthy, safe, fun, smart, cool, and attractive on a scale from 1 (negative attitudes) to 5 (positive attitudes). Items were summed and averaged to create a single composite score, and this was done for each arm for each vaping status. Higher scores indicate more positive e-cigarette attitudes, therefore worse outcomes.

Time frame: After exposure to all messages, approximately up to 45 minutes.

Behavioral Intentions

Participants' vaping intentions was measured by using a 3 subscale items assessing participants' intentions to vape: soon/anytime during the next year/would use offered by one of their best friends, on a scale from 1 (Definitely not) to 5 (Definitely yes). Items were summed and averaged to create a single composite score. This was done for each vaping status (current vapers and susceptible non-vapers). Higher scores indicate greater vaping intentions, therefore indicating worse outcome.

Time frame: After exposure to all messages, approximately up to 45 minutes.