Processing of Alcohol-Related Health Threat in At-Risk Drinkers: An Online Study of Gender-Related Self-Affirmation Effects

摘要: Aims Defensiveness in response to threatening health information related excessive alcohol consumption prevents appropriate behaviour change. Alternatively, self-affirmation may improve cognitive-affective processing of information, thus contributing successful self-regulation. Methods Effects an online procedure were examined at-risk university student drinkers. Participants randomly assigned a (writing about personally relevant values) or control task values another person) prior presentation alcohol-related information. Assessment prosocial feelings (e.g. 'love') after the served as manipulation check. Generic and personalized regarding link between use cancer was presented, followed by assessment perceived threat, message avoidance derogation. Page dwell-times indirect indices engagement. Alcohol intention drink less assessed during first session at 1-week 1-month follow-up. Results Although resulted higher levels immediately task, there no effect on group. moderated gender, such that men showed lower self-affirmation, but this increased Women's reduce group reduced over time. Trend-level effects derogation acceptance predicted direction only men. Conclusion It is feasible perform procedures environment with However, internet-based population give rise (gender-dependent) are substantially diluted compared lab-based experiments.