The Effects of Narrative Versus Nonnarrative Information in School Health Education for Low-Educated Adolescents

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session III
  In Interactive Paper Session: Health Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Although low educated adolescents are as likely as high educated adolescents to engage in heavy drinking, previous research on health education materials has focused primarily on higher educated students. Existing literature suggests that health education materials are more effective if they contain a narrative information format instead of the traditionally applied non-narrative information format. However, no previous studies have compared the effects of these formats in the context of school health education for low educated adolescents. This study compares the learning and persuasive effects of these information formats in a two-condition experiment with repeated measures. The experiment was conducted amongst 296 students of the two lowest levels of the Dutch secondary education system. Results showed immediate effects on knowledge and attitude, which did not differ between conditions and school levels. There were no effects on intention. It is concluded that both formats are equally effective in the context we studied.

Authors

• Simon Zebregs, University of Amsterdam

• Bas van den Putte, ASCoR, U of Amsterdam

• Anneke de Graaf, ASCoR, U of Amsterdam

• Jeroen Lammers, Trimbos Institute Netherlands Institute for Mental Health and Addiction

• Peter Neijens, U of Amsterdam