This article reports on the results of a study conducted by Dee Lisa Cothran at Washington University in
St. Louis. This study analysed how the way that "messages promoting condom-use
are framed influences the effectiveness of the messages."



The study, according to Duggan, examined the the theory that "gain-framed messages are more effective at promoting prevention-oriented
behaviors...and that loss-framed messages are more effective at promoting
detection-oriented behaviors." The results
of this study did, according to this article, support the idea that gain-framed messages were
more effective promoting condom use, but only when the messages treated condom
use as an individual health-oriented behaviour.



The study, however, pointed out that condom use is not only a personal health
decision, but an interpersonal behaviour. The results, according to this
article, indicated that loss-framed messages such as those "regarding one's
heightened risk of contracting an STD when one's partner does not wear
condoms" were more effective when the messages were "relationship-relevant."
The study authors are quoted
as saying that "Condom use is both a prevention behavior and, due to its
dyadic nature, can be considered a detection behavior."

Duggan also notes that the study found that the women were more influenced by
the framing of the messages than were the men in this study.

Click here to access the website for the Health Psychology journal
in which the original study was published. You must subscribe to view the published study.