Media messages and alcohol education: a school-based study

The immediate effects of a media intervention on attitudes toward alcohol were investigated with 134 secondary school pupils (aged 13 to 17 years) who completed a drinking and smoking questionnaire and expressed strength of agreement or disagreement with 13 statements about alcohol, drinking and health. Pupils then read news cuttings from popular magazines. One group read a negative message about alcohol, another group a positive message. Other groups read both positive and negative messages, and a control group had no media intervention. Immediately afterwards, all pupils responded to the same 13 statements again. Those pupils who received only a negative message became significantly more negative in their attitudes towards alcohol. Those receiving only a positive message were significantly more positive afterwards. The control group and those receiving both positive and negative messages showed little change. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for alcohol education programs at school.