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Don't derogate this message! Self-affirmation promotes online type 2 diabetes risk test taking
Guido M van Koningsbruggen1, Enny Das
1Department of Communication Science, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands. g.van.koningsbruggen@fsw.vu.nl
Psychology & Health
|March 6, 2010
Summary
Self-affirmation helps at-risk individuals accept threatening health information and encourages type 2 diabetes risk testing. It reduces defensiveness, promoting proactive health behaviors for diseases.
Area of Science:
- Health Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Individuals often exhibit defensive responses to threatening health information, hindering engagement with preventative measures.
- Understanding psychological interventions that promote acceptance of health risks is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if self-affirmation enhances acceptance of threatening type 2 diabetes information.
- To determine if self-affirmation influences risk-testing behavior for type 2 diabetes.
Main Methods:
- An experimental design with 84 participants, manipulating self-affirmation based on personal value importance.
- Measurement of message derogation, intentions for online risk testing, and actual online risk-testing behavior.
- Stratification of participants into 'at-risk' and 'not-at-risk' groups for type 2 diabetes.
Main Results:
- Self-affirmation significantly reduced message derogation towards threatening health information.
- For at-risk individuals, self-affirmation increased intentions and engagement in online type 2 diabetes risk testing.
- Conversely, for not-at-risk individuals, self-affirmation decreased intentions and online risk test taking.
Conclusions:
- Self-affirmation can be an effective strategy to mitigate defensive reactions to health threats in at-risk populations.
- This psychological intervention promotes engagement with risk-testing behaviors for diseases like type 2 diabetes.
- Tailoring interventions based on risk status is important for optimizing health behavior promotion.
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