Smoking Attitudes Among Adolescents: Effect of Messages Varying on Argument Quality and Source’s Expertise

The present study examined the effectiveness of an anti-smoking message on processing and persuasion in young adolescents. Data were collected from 112 Greek adolescents 13 to 16 years of age, who were randomly assigned into a control and four experimental groups. All participants in experimental groups read a written anti-smoking message varying on the source’s expertise (expert or non expert) and on the quality of the arguments (12 weak/12 strong arguments). Before and after the experimental manipulation, participants completed questionnaires assessing attitudes towards smoking, intention to smoke, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, knowledge, and smoking behavior. Repeated measures analyses showed no significant differences between experimental groups (p \u3e .05). All groups perceived they were more informed about smoking after the experimental manipulation. Results are discussed according to planned behavior theory and elaboration likelihood model, for effective anti-smoking messages addressed to adolescents

Examination of parental involvement in Greek female athletes

The purpose of this study was to examine perceived and desired parental involvement in female sports in Greece. The parental involvement in sport questionnaire was administrated to 383 female former and current athletes (mean age 20.33 years, competitive experience 7.10 years) from different sports (rhythmic gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, swimming, basketball, volleyball, track and field). The questionnaire assessed athletes’ perception about their parental involvement (directive behavior, praise and understanding, active involvement, pressure) and their desired parental involvement. The results showed that athletes in rhythmic, artistic gymnastics and swimming scored higher in praise and understanding, rhythmic and artistic gymnastics athletes perceived higher active involvement than desired and rhythmic gymnastics athletes perceived higher directive behavior than desired. Athletes in specializing phase desired more parental praise and understanding. Finally, pressure was predicted from all parental involvement variables. As parental involvement differs between sports, the results are discussed in order to minimize the negative influence of parental involvement in each sport

Smoking and exercise: effective messages for attitude change in health education programs that are addressed in secondary and university students

The purpose of the present dissertation was to examine the effect of different anti-smoking and proexercise messages on students and young adults, through Planned Behavior Theory and Persuasion. The effectiveness of messages containing strong or weak arguments against smoking and varying on message's source was examined. The Theory of Planned Behavior is explaining smoking behavior through intention to smoke, attitudes toward smoking, perceived behavioral control and the addition of several additional variables (e.g. interest in relevant information). Persuasion theory and especially Elaboration Likelihood Model examines attitude change through messages. According to the model a message can affect someone through the central or the peripheral route. Through the central route, individuals carefully scrutinize the merits of the argument presented in a message (high elaboration) and either favor the argument if it is strong or disfavor the argument if it is weak, either through the peripheral route, when individuals are not motivated and/or not able to process the message arguments, they conserve cognitive effort by relying on simple inferences (e.g. message's source). Five separate studies have been conducted in which participated university students and secondary education students. Instruments were self-reported questionnaires. The first study examined the affect of anti-smoking messages varying on arguments' quality (strong or weak) on university students (N=64) and secondary education students (N=69) and from the results revealed that for both age groups, more effects toward the desired direction were contacted by weak arguments. Additionally, to university students the message with the strong arguments revealed more positive cognitive responses. The second study examined whether the differential of source's expertise on the messages used in the first study had an affect on secondary students' attitudes (N=115). Results showed that the experimental procedure increased interest in relevant information, and that the non expert source, independent of arguments' quality, decreased intention to smoke if there was no harm in their health by smoking. The third study had the same procedure as the second but participants were university students (N=97). The results showed that the most effective message was the message by the expert source, regardless of arguments' quality, as it increased perceived behavioral control and cognitive responses. The fourth study examined the affect of a message; varying on source (the message had a peer or a non peer source). The quality of the arguments was strong anti-smoking and pro-exercise and participants were university students (N=73). The results showed that the experimental procedure increased interest in relevant information and perceived behavioral control for all experimental groups. In the last (5th) study the effect of messages by a peer or a non peer source on adolescents (N=91) was examined. Messages contained weak anti-smoking and pro- exercise arguments. The results revealed that the experimental procedure increased for both experimental groups interest in relevant information, perceived behavioral control and subjective norm, regardless of message's source. In conclusion, to secondary education students is better to address written anti-smoking messages that contain weak arguments. Non expert sources are moreeffective for the anti-smoking messages regardless the quality of the arguments. There is no difference when a peer or no peer source is used as a source of a message with weak arguments. To young adults (university students) both messages with strong arguments and messages with weak arguments are effective. When a source of a message with strong arguments will be used, it is better to be an expert source. When a peer or no peer source is used as a source of a written message with strong anti-smoking arguments, the peer source is more effective.Σκοπός της παρούσας διατριβής ήταν να διερευνήσει την επίδραση διαφορετικών μηνυμάτων κατά του καπνίσματος και υπέρ της άσκησης σε μαθητές/τριες και νεαρούς ενήλικες μέσα από τη θεωρία της Σχεδιασμένης Συμπεριφοράς και τη θεωρία της Πειθούς. Συγκεκριμένα διερευνήθηκε η επίδραση μηνυμάτων με διαφορετική ποιότητα επιχειρημάτων και η επίδραση μηνυμάτων από διαφορετική πηγή. Η Θεωρία Σχεδιασμένης Συμπεριφοράς προσπαθεί να εξηγήσει την υιοθέτηση της συμπεριφοράς του καπνίσματος μέσα από την πρόθεση, τις στάσεις, τον αντιλαμβανόμενο έλεγχο, το κοινωνικό πρότυπο και την προσθήκη νέων παραγόντων (όπως η ενημέρωση). Η θεωρία της Πειθούς και πιο συγκεκριμένα το μοντέλο Πιθανής Επεξεργασίας μελετά την αλλαγή των στάσεων μέσα από μηνύματα. Το μοντέλο δέχεται ότι το άτομο όταν έρχεται σε επαφή με ένα μήνυμα επηρεάζεται είτε από την κεντρική οδό είτε από την περιφερειακή. Στην κεντρική οδό το άτομο επεξεργάζεται λεπτομερώς τις πληροφορίες του μηνύματος για να δεχτεί ή να απορρίψει τη θέση που αυτό πρεσβεύει, ενώ στην περιφερειακή οδό το άτομο δε θέλει ή δεν μπορεί να επεξεργαστεί τα επιχειρήματα του μηνύματος και αποφασίζει αν θα αποδεχθεί ή όχι τη θέση του μηνύματος από άλλες πληροφορίες (π.χ. την πηγή του μηνύματος). Πραγματοποιήθηκαν 5 ανεξάρτητες έρευνες. Στις έρευνες αυτές συμμετείχαν φοιτητές/φοιτήτριες Τ.Ε.Φ.Α.Α. και μαθητές/μαθήτριες δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης. Ως εργαλεία μέτρησης χρησιμοποιήθηκαν αποκλειστικά ερωτηματολόγια. Στην πρώτη έρευνα αξιολογήθηκε η επίδραση αντι-καπνιστικών μηνυμάτων με ισχυρά ή μη ισχυρά επιχειρήματα σε φοιτητές/τριες (Ν=64) και σε μαθητές/τριες (Ν=69), και φάνηκε ότι το μήνυμα με τα μη ισχυρά επιχειρήματα προκάλεσε περισσότερες αλλαγές προς την επιθυμητή κατεύθυνση. Ως προς τις γνωστικές αποκρίσεις στους φοιτητές/τριες το μήνυμα με τα ισχυρά επιχειρήματα ήταν αποτελεσματικότερο. Στη δεύτερη έρευνα εξετάστηκε αν η διαφοροποίηση της αξιοπιστίας της πηγής στα μηνύματα της προηγούμενης έρευνας επηρέαζε τις στάσεις μαθητών (Ν=115). Βρέθηκε ότι η πειραματική διαδικασία βελτίωσε την ενημέρωση που πίστευαν ότι είχαν τα άτομα και επιπλέον, η μη ισχυρή πηγή ανεξάρτητα από τα επιχειρήματα του μηνύματος που περιείχε, μείωσε την πρόθεση των εφήβων να καπνίσουν αν δεν υπήρχαν βλάβες στην υγεία τους από το κάπνισμα. Η τρίτη έρευνα ακολούθησε την πειραματική διαδικασία της προηγούμενης έρευνας (2ης), με συμμετέχοντες φοιτητές/τριες (Ν= 97). Από τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας φάνηκε ότι αποτελεσματικότερο προς την επιθυμητή κατεύθυνση, ήταν το μήνυμα με την ισχυρή πηγή ανεξάρτητα από την ποιότητα των επιχειρημάτων, καθώς αύξησε τον αντιλαμβανόμενο έλεγχο της συμπεριφοράς και τις γνωστικές αποκρίσεις. Στην τέταρτη έρευνα διερευνήθηκε η διαφοροποίηση της πηγής μηνυμάτων σε ομότιμη και μη ομότιμη σε φοιτητές. Τα επιχειρήματα που περιλάμβαναν ήταν ισχυρά αντικαπνιστικά (από την πρώτη έρευνα) και υπέρ της άσκησης, και συμμετείχαν φοιτητές (Ν=73). Από τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας φάνηκε ότι βελτιώθηκε η ενημέρωση για όλες τις πειραματικές ομάδες και αυξήθηκε ο αντιλαμβανόμενος έλεγχος της συμπεριφοράς. Στη τελευταία έρευνα διερευνήθηκε η αποτελεσματικότητα μηνυμάτων από ομότιμη ή μη ομότιμη πηγή σε εφήβους (Ν=91). Τα μηνύματα περιλάμβαναν μη ισχυρά αντικαπνιστικά επιχειρήματα και μη ισχυρά επιχειρήματα υπέρ της άσκησης. Από τα αποτελέσματα φάνηκε ότι η πειραματική διαδικασία αύξησε την ενημέρωση των συμμετεχόντων, μείωσε τον αντιλαμβανόμενο έλεγχο και αύξησε το κοινωνικό πρότυπο, ανεξάρτητα από την πηγή του μηνύματος. Συνοπτικά, στους μαθητές/τριες θα πρέπει να χρησιμοποιούνται γραπτά μηνύματα κατά του καπνίσματος με μη ισχυρά επιχειρήματα, να χρησιμοποιούνται μη ισχυρές πηγές. Όταν το μήνυμα περιλαμβάνει επιχειρήματα κατά του καπνίσματος και υπέρ της άσκησης, τότε για τους μαθητές/τριες η ομότιμη πηγή του μηνύματος είναι αποτελεσματικότερη από τη μη ομότιμη. Από την άλλη πλευρά στους φοιτητές/τριες είναι προτιμότερο να χρησιμοποιούνται και οι δύο τύποι γραπτών μηνυμάτων (με ισχυρά επιχειρήματα, με μη ισχυρά επιχειρήματα). Στην συγκεκριμένη ηλικιακή ομάδα είναι σημαντικότερο να χρησιμοποιείται ισχυρή πηγή ανεξάρτητα της ποιότητας των επιχειρημάτων. Τέλος, στα γραπτά μηνύματα κατά του καπνίσματος και υπέρ της άσκησης με ομότιμη ή μη ομότιμη πηγή δε φαίνεται να υπάρχει διαφοροποίηση

Differences in smoking attitudes of adolescents and young adults

This study employed the Theory of Planned Behavior to examine the differences between adolescent (n = 182) and young adults (n = 209) in their intention to smoke and examined possible differences. Analysis showed that young adults had more positive self-reported attitudes toward smoking than adolescents, had higher intentions to smoke, lower perceived behavioral control over smoking and perceived they were more informed about smoking. The Theory of Planned Behavior provided good prediction of intention for both young adults (R-2 = .70, attitudes, information, and past behavior significant) and adolescents (R-2 = .68, attitudes, past behavior significant). For both samples attitudes were the strongest predictor of intentions to smoke. Implications for understanding intention toward smoking between adolescents and young adults are discussed

Predicting students' intention to smoke by theory of planned behaviour variables and parental influences across school grade levels

Differences were examined in Theory of Planned Behaviour determinants of students' intention to smoke including parents' attitudes towards smoking and parents' current cigarette use among Greek students of different school grade levels. Students (N = 763) aged 10-18 years reported their attitudes towards smoking, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, self-identity and intention to smoke while their parents (N = 525) reported their attitudes towards smoking and their current cigarette use. All the TPB variables increased from lower to higher school grade level. Multi-sample path analyses showed that parent's attitudes towards smoking positively predicted students' intention to smoke only for elementary school children. Parents' current cigarette use did not contribute significantly. Students' attitudes, perceived behavioural control and self-identity predicted systematically intention to smoke in contrast to the subjective norm that did not contribute at all. Perceived behavioural control contributed to a higher degree in intention to smoke for senior high school students compared to the junior high school and elementary students. Self-identity contributed to a higher degree in intention to smoke for elementary compared to the junior high school students. The results of this study suggests that the determinants of smoking vary between early and late adolescence

Early treatment of COVID-19 with anakinra guided by soluble urokinase plasminogen receptor plasma levels: a double-blind, randomized controlled phase 3 trial

Early increase of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) serum levels is indicative of increased risk of progression of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to respiratory failure. The SAVE-MORE double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of anakinra, an IL-1 alpha/beta inhibitor, in 594 patients with COVID-19 at risk of progressing to respiratory failure as identified by plasma suPAR >= 6 ng ml(-1), 85.9% (n = 510) of whom were receiving dexamethasone. At day 28, the adjusted proportional odds of having a worse clinical status (assessed by the 11-point World Health Organization Clinical Progression Scale (WHO-CPS)) with anakinra, as compared to placebo, was 0.36 (95% confidence interval 0.26-0.50). The median WHO-CPS decrease on day 28 from baseline in the placebo and anakinra groups was 3 and 4 points, respectively (odds ratio (OR) = 0.40, P < 0.0001); the respective median decrease of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score on day 7 from baseline was 0 and 1 points (OR = 0.63, P = 0.004). Twenty-eight-day mortality decreased (hazard ratio = 0.45, P = 0.045), and hospital stay was shorter.The SAVE-MORE phase 3 study demonstrates the efficacy of anakinra, an IL-1 alpha/beta inhibitor, in patients with COVID-19 and high serum levels of soluble plasminogen activator receptor

Early treatment of COVID-19 with anakinra guided by soluble urokinase plasminogen receptor plasma levels: a double-blind, randomized controlled phase 3 trial

Early increase of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) serum levels is indicative of increased risk of progression of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to respiratory failure. The SAVE-MORE double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of anakinra, an IL-1 alpha/beta inhibitor, in 594 patients with COVID-19 at risk of progressing to respiratory failure as identified by plasma suPAR >= 6 ng ml(-1), 85.9% (n = 510) of whom were receiving dexamethasone. At day 28, the adjusted proportional odds of having a worse clinical status (assessed by the 11-point World Health Organization Clinical Progression Scale (WHO-CPS)) with anakinra, as compared to placebo, was 0.36 (95% confidence interval 0.26-0.50). The median WHO-CPS decrease on day 28 from baseline in the placebo and anakinra groups was 3 and 4 points, respectively (odds ratio (OR) = 0.40, P < 0.0001); the respective median decrease of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score on day 7 from baseline was 0 and 1 points (OR = 0.63, P = 0.004). Twenty-eight-day mortality decreased (hazard ratio = 0.45, P = 0.045), and hospital stay was shorter. The SAVE-MORE phase 3 study demonstrates the efficacy of anakinra, an IL-1 alpha/beta inhibitor, in patients with COVID-19 and high serum levels of soluble plasminogen activator receptor

Effect of anakinra on mortality in patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and patient-level meta-analysis

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