Narrative Means to Preventative Ends: A Narrative Engagement Framework For Designing Prevention Interventions

This article describes a Narrative Engagement Framework (NEF) for guiding communication-based prevention efforts. This framework suggests that personal narratives have distinctive capabilities in prevention. The article discusses the concept of narrative, links narrative to prevention, and discusses the central role of youth in developing narrative interventions. As illustration, the authors describe how the NEF is applied in the keepin\u27 it REAL adolescent drug prevention curriculum, pose theoretical directions, and offer suggestions for future work in prevention communication

Examining the protective effects of brand equity in the keepin\u27 it REAL substance use prevention curriculum

While branding appears to be an effective health prevention strategy, it is less clear how successful brands have protective effects. To better understand the role of branding in health prevention and promotion, it is necessary to examine how the persuasive mechanisms of branding function in health campaigns (e.g., modeling socially desirable behaviors). Using a cross-sectional data (N = 709), the current study uncovered the mechanisms explaining branding\u27s effects on adolescent substance use in a school-based substance use intervention, keepin\u27 it REAL (kiR) curriculum. Consistent with our predictions, a confirmatory factor analysis suggested that kiR brand equity had a higher-order, multidimensional factor structure. In addition, a path analysis revealed that brand equity affected adolescent substance use directly and through the predicted social cognitive processes including refusal efficacy and resistance skills. Thus it is concluded that kiR brand equity serves as a protective factor for adolescent substance use. Practical implications, research limitations and future directions are discussed

“Applied” Aspects of the Drug Resistance Strategies Project

This paper discusses the applied aspects of our Drug Resistance Strategies Project. We argue that a new definitional distinction is needed to expand the notion of “applied” from the traditional notion of utilizing theory, which we call “applied.1”, in order to consider theory-grounded, theory testing and theory developing applied research. We label this new definition “applied.2” research. We then explain that our descriptive work describing the social processes of adolescent substance use, identity and use, and drug norms, as well as the subsequent development and dissemination of our keepin’ it REAL middle school substance use curriculum are examples of “applied.1” work. In the “applied.2” realm, we include our theory testing (e.g., tests of multiculturalism, narrative and performance theories, the Focus Theory of Norms) and theory-developing (e.g., parent-child communication, cultural grounding) research as well our new directions in theory development (e.g., adaptation processes). We conclude with a call for space in the discipline for “applied.2” work that builds and tests theory through application to significant social issues that contribute to our communities. We note obstacles in departmental and scholarly norms but express optimism about the prospects for “applied.2” research in the future of communication research

Non-Contact Thermal Properties Measurement with Low-Power Laser and IR Camera System

As shown by the Phoenix Mars Lander's Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Probe (TECP), contact measurements of thermal conductivity and diffusivity (using a modified flux-plate or line-source heat-pulse method) are constrained by a number of factors. Robotic resources must be used to place the probe, making them unavailable for other operations for the duration of the measurement. The range of placement is also limited by mobility, particularly in the case of a lander. Placement is also subject to irregularities in contact quality, resulting in non-repeatable heat transfer to the material under test. Most important from a scientific perspective, the varieties of materials which can be measured are limited to unconsolidated or weakly-cohesive regolith materials, rocks, and ices being too hard for nominal insertion strengths. Accurately measuring thermal properties in the laboratory requires significant experimental finesse, involving sample preparation, controlled and repeatable procedures, and, practically, instrumentation much more voluminous than the sample being tested (heater plates, insulation, temperature sensors). Remote measurements (infrared images from orbiting spacecraft) can reveal composite properties like thermal inertia, but suffer both from a large footprint (low spatial resolution) and convolution of the thermal properties of a potentially layered medium. In situ measurement techniques (the Phoenix TECP is the only robotic measurement of thermal properties to date) suffer from problems of placement range, placement quality, occupation of robotic resources, and the ability to only measure materials of low mechanical strength. A spacecraft needs the ability to perform a non-contact thermal properties measurement in situ. Essential components include low power consumption, leveraging of existing or highly-developed flight technologies, and mechanical simplicity. This new in situ method, by virtue of its being non-contact, bypasses all of these problems. The use of photons to both excite and measure the thermal response of any surface material to a high resolution (estimated footprint = 10 square centimeters) is a generational leap in physical properties measurements. The proposed method consists of spot-heating the surface of a material with a low (less than 1 W) power laser. This produces a moderate (5-10 K) temperature increase in the material

Barriers, control and identity in health information seeking among African American women

Qualitative research methods were used to examine the role of racial, cultural, and socio-economic group (i.e., communal) identities on perceptions of barriers and control related to traditional and internet resources for seeking health information. Eighteen lower income, African American women participated in training workshops on using the internet for health, followed by two focus groups. Transcripts were analyzed using standardized coding methods. Results demonstrated that participants perceived the internet as a tool for seeking health information, which they believed would empower them within formal healthcare settings. Participants invoked racial, cultural, and socio-economic identities when discussing barriers to seeking health information within healthcare systems and the internet. The findings indicate that the internet may be a valuable tool for accessing health information among lower income African American women if barriers are reduced. Recommendations are made that may assist health providers in improving health information seeking outcomes of African American women

Media Literacy and Parent–Adolescent Communication About Alcohol in Media: Effects on Adolescent Alcohol Use

[T]he present study examines the effects of adolescent media literacy and parent-adolescent communication about media portrayals of alcohol use on adolescents\u27 lifetime alcohol use. The focus on alcohol is warranted when evaluating a young adolescent population since alcohol is the substance most commonly used and abused by adolescents (NIDA, 2016).https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/communication_books/1021/thumbnail.jp

Water vapor diffusion in Mars subsurface environments

The diffusion coefficient of water vapor in unconsolidated porous media is measured for various soil simulants at Mars-like pressures and subzero temperatures. An experimental chamber which simultaneously reproduces a low-pressure, low-temperature, and low-humidity environment is used to monitor water flux from an ice source through a porous diffusion barrier. Experiments are performed on four types of simulants: 40–70 µm glass beads, sintered glass filter disks, 1–3 µm dust (both loose and packed), and JSC Mars–1. A theoretical framework is presented that applies to environments that are not necessarily isothermal or isobaric. For most of our samples, we find diffusion coefficients in the range of 2.8 to 5.4 cm^2 s^-1 at 600 Pascal and 260 K. This range becomes 1.9–4.7 cm^2 s^-1 when extrapolated to a Mars-like temperature of 200 K. Our preferred value for JSC Mars–1 at 600 Pa and 200 K is 3.7 ± 0.5 cm^2 s^-1. The tortuosities of the glass beads is about 1.8. Packed dust displays a lower mean diffusion coefficient of 0.38 ± 0.26 cm^2 s^-1, which can be attributed to transition to the Knudsen regime where molecular collisions with the pore walls dominate. Values for the diffusion coefficient and the variation of the diffusion coefficient with pressure are well matched by existing models. The survival of shallow subsurface ice on Mars and the providence of diffusion barriers are considered in light of these measurements

Alcohol and Other Drug Resistance Strategies Employed by Rural Adolescents

This study seeks to identify how rural adolescents make health decisions and utilize communication strategies to resist influence attempts in offers of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 113 adolescents from rural school districts to solicit information on ATOD norms, past ATOD experiences, and substance offer response episodes. Rural youths’ resistance strategies were similar to previous findings with urban adolescents – refuse, explain, avoid, and leave (the REAL typology) – while unique features of these strategies were identified including the importance of personal narratives, the articulation of a non-user identity, and being “accountable” to self and others

Entertainment-Education Videos as a Persuasive Tool in the Substance Use Prevention Intervention keepin\u27 it REAL

Based on social cognitive theory and narrative engagement theory, the current study examined hypothesized indirect effects of engagement with keepin’ it REAL (kiR) curriculum entertainment–education (E–E) videos on youth alcohol use via youth drug offer refusal efficacy. Students in 7th grade (N = 1,464) at 25 public schools in two Midwestern states were randomly assigned to one of the two versions of the kiR curriculum, the kiR urban version and the kiR rural version. Each version had their own set of five culturally-grounded E–E videos depicting communicative skills to refuse drug offers. Differential effects for engagement components were expected depending on the degree of cultural matching. Pre/post surveys were administered at the beginning and the end of 7th grade. Structural equation modeling analysis resulted in partial support for the research hypotheses. Rural youth receiving the urban curriculum who reported higher interest in the E–E videos were more likely to report having higher refusal efficacy, and in turn, less likely to use alcohol. Rural youth receiving the rural curriculum who identified with the E–E video main characters were more likely to report having higher refusal efficacy, and in turn, less likely to use alcohol. Implications for E–E health promotion are discussed

Coming to the New D.A.R.E.: A Preliminary Test of the Officer-Taught Elementary keepin’ it REAL Curriculum

The present study reports a preliminary evaluation of D.A.R.E.’s new elementary school keepin’ it REAL substance abuse prevention program. Given the widespread dissemination of D.A.R.E., this evaluation, even though of short term effects, has important implications for national prevention efforts. The new prevention curriculum teaches social and emotional competencies such as decision making and resistance skills. Social and emotional competencies and other risk factors were examined among students (N = 943) in 26 classrooms, 13 classrooms in the treatment condition (n = 359) and 13 classrooms in the control condition (n = 584) using a quasi-experimental matched group design. Pretest comparisons of treatment and control groups were completed, along with attrition analyses, and hierarchical logistic and linear regressions were computed to assess the intervention. The results revealed that the intervention produced significant effects on preventative factors such as the likelihood of resisting peer pressure, increased responsible decision making knowledge and decision-making skills, and confidence in being able to explain why they would refuse offers of cigarettes. The results of this study suggest that D.A.R.E.’s elementary keepin’ it REAL program has promise as a social and emotional learning (SEL) based prevention program