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Effects of Social Media on Adolescents' Willingness and Intention to Use E-Cigarettes: An Experimental Investigation.
- Source :
-
Nicotine & Tobacco Research . Apr2021, Vol. 23 Issue 4, p694-701. 8p. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- <bold>Introduction: </bold>This study examined the effects of experimentally manipulated social media exposure on adolescents' willingness and intention to use e-cigarettes.<bold>Aims and Methods: </bold>Participants were 135 adolescents of age 13-18 (52.6% female, mean age = 15.3) in California. Participants viewed six social media posts online in a 2 (post source: peer or advertisement) × 2 (e-cigarette content exposure: heavy or light) between-subjects design. Analyses were weighted to population benchmarks. We examined adolescents' beliefs, willingness, and intention to use e-cigarettes in association with social media use intensity in daily life and with experimentally manipulated exposure to social media posts that varied by source (peer or advertisement) and content (e-cigarette heavy or light).<bold>Results: </bold>Greater social media use in daily life was associated with greater willingness and intention to use e-cigarettes and more positive attitudes, greater perceived norms, and lower perceived danger of e-cigarette use (all p-values <.01). In tests of the experimental exposures, heavy (vs. light) e-cigarette content resulted in greater intention (p = .049) to use e-cigarettes and more positive attitudes (p = .019). Viewing advertisements (vs. peer-generated posts) resulted in greater willingness and intention (p-values <.01) to use e-cigarettes, more positive attitudes (p = .003), and greater norm perceptions (p = .009). The interaction effect of post source by post content was not significant for any of the outcomes (all p-values >.529).<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Greater social media use and heavier exposure to advertisements and e-cigarette content in social media posts are associated with a greater risk for e-cigarette use among adolescents. Regulatory action is needed to prohibit sponsored e-cigarette content on social media platforms used by youth.<bold>Implications: </bold>Adolescents who use social media intensely may be at higher risk for e-cigarette use. Even brief exposure to e-cigarette content on social media was associated with greater intention to use and more positive attitudes toward e-cigarettes. Regulatory action should be taken to prohibit sponsored e-cigarette content on social media used by young people, including posts by influencers who appeal to young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *SOCIAL media
*ELECTRONIC cigarettes
*TEENAGERS
*INTENTION
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 14622203
- Volume :
- 23
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Nicotine & Tobacco Research
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 149400624
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaa003