This paper presents results from a survey focusing
on the short-term effects of the second
of three consecutive mass media campaigns
designed to explore new and untested strategies
to prevent smoking among adolescents. The
campaign was based on messages designed to
produce dissonance, by dearly pointing out
inconsistencies between popular opinions and
values, on the one hand, and being a smoker,
on the other. The study also aimed at exploring
the role of interpersonal communication in the
process of behaviour change. The mass media
campaign included both printed and electronic
material, and the evaluation survey was performed
14 days after the first campaign period.
A questionnaire was mailed to the home address
of the study population, which included all
adolescents {N=50Sl) aged 15 and 16 in one
county in Norway. The response rate was 73%.
The campaign (which targeted girls in particular)
obtained the best short-term effects among
girls and among smokers. This was the case
with attention, having discussed the campaign
with someone and behavioural outcomes. Overall,
smokers had stronger affective reactions
towards the campaign than non-smokers had
and girls reacted more strongly than boys.
Positive affective reactions was the overall most