This study explored whether Personal and Social Development (PSD) teachers, school-based counsellors, and students in Maltese secondary schools perceived processing experiences as empowering to seek counselling, if and when needed. The study investigated if processing techniques within PSD methodology helped develop self-awareness. The research…

Background: TV viewing and computer game use may both limit physical activity, but only TV viewing may promote a poorer diet due to exposure to food advertising and availability of the hands for snacking. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between the different screen times and type 2 diabetes markers among youth.…

Univision is a brand well-known to Hispanic viewers, but with fragmentation and so many choices within the media landscape, they had to break through the noise effectively. The challenge for Univision was to attract a younger demographic (18-34 year-olds) of loyal viewers to consume Spanish language programming by packaging the use of music and…

How does life drawing impact on a group of 14-16-year-old female art and design students and their perception of body image? In contemporary Western society, we are bombarded with advertising, social media and celebrity culture on a daily basis, often with a focus on body image. This article questions whether, due to this visual assault, young…

The research surrounding elite adult athletes has shown that these athletes consistently experience mental health difficulties. The prevalence rates of mental health disorders among the adult elite athlete population are at much higher rates than the average adult population. This includes substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and eating…

Background: Although there is debate on the effectiveness of youth-focused abstinence education programs, research confirms that parents can influence their children’s decisions about sexual behavior. To leverage parent-based approaches to adolescent sexual health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched the "Parents Speak Up…

Melanoma is the most common cancer among 15- to 29-year-olds in Australia, with rates increasing with age. The "Dark Side of Tanning" (DSOT) mass media campaign was developed in 2007 to influence attitudes related to tanning. This study aimed to assess recall and impact of the DSOT campaign. Data were collected using online surveys of…

Background: Peer crowds are macro-level, reputation-based subcultures with shared preferences, values, and behavior. The Country peer crowd has been the focus of tobacco industry research and marketing but has yet to be the primary focus of public health research. The current study explores the utility of "Down and Dirty," a "Social…

The objective of this study was determine if the inclusion of Canadian-style graphic images would improve the degree to which adolescents attend to, and subsequently are able to recall, novel warning messages in tobacco magazine advertising. Specifically, our goal was to determine if the inclusion of graphic images would 1) increase visual…

Background: In adolescents aged 12-14, we measured attitudes to tobacco advertising. Our purpose is to understand the relation of these attitudes to tobacco use and identify the groups most influenced by the advertising. Methods: Survey of adolescents on Gran Canaria Island, Spain, about aspects of family, school, peers, tobacco consumption, and…

This chapter discusses a three-month statewide mass media campaign to prevent teen dating violence, "See It and Stop It." The Massachusetts campaign reached out--using television, radio, and print advertising--and also encouraged anti-violence activism in select high schools. The objective was to drive thirteen- to seventeen-year-olds to…

Between the mid 1970s and 1992, daily cigarette use by high school seniors dropped by 60%. Since then, two factors have become apparent that have added to an increase in cigarette use by teenagers. First, instead of supporting tax increases and smoking bans, health lobbyists and Clinton administration officials aimed criticism at youth and their…

This publication presents the findings from an evaluation of Phase II of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. The number one goal of the campaign was to educate youth to reject illegal drugs. This report evaluates Phase II and focuses on the effect of paid television advertising on awareness of anti-drug messages among youth, teens, and…

To address the issues of drunk driving and failure to use car restraints among teens and young adults, a 21-month-long media campaign has been developed especially for the 15- to 24-year-old audience to compare the effectiveness of paid advertisements and public service announcements. A formative research approach to message design will be used to…

This document reports some of the findings of a national assessment of seventeen-year-olds on consumer knowledge, skills, and attitudes. An introduction describes the development of the survey, the probability sample, the administration of the assessment, and the format for reporting the results. Chapter 1 of five chapters summarizes the responses…