April 4-6, 2024 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Innovations in Health Communication
Innovations in Health Communication
Abstract: The Distinctive Role of Gender in Tailoring Anti-Smoking Messages for Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults
This study investigated sexual and gender minority (SGM) young adults’ perceived targetedness (PT) of images and anti-smoking messages portraying individuals representing various gender expressions. We conducted two experiments among gender-expansive, transfeminine and transmasculine individuals, cisgender sexual minority women (SMW) and sexual minority men (SMM). The study enhances our understanding of tailoring health messages to SGM individuals.
Study 1 used a mixed factorial experimental design among 461 SGM young adults (Mage=24.9, SDage=3.3) recruited from Prolific. Participants were informed that images would be used in anti-tobacco messaging. They rated 8 out of 80 images categorized into four gender expressions: transgender/nonbinary, woman, man, or multiple gender expression. We used cross-classified multilevel modeling to predict PT (a three-item scale adapted from Aaker et al. (2000); e.g., “I would feel the advertisement was intended for people like me.”; a=.97) with image gender expression and respondent’s gender identity, controlling for image (e.g., number of characters in images) and participants’ characteristics (e.g., sexual orientation).
Study 2 used a between-subject experimental design among 1190 SGM young adults (Mage=24.6, SDage=3.3) recruited from Prolific. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions (transgender/nonbinary, woman, man, or multiple gender expression). Each participant viewed 6 anti-smoking messages within their assigned condition and rated the PT of each message (a=.95). Each message consists of an image selected and an anti-smoking argument. We selected 6 images based on four indicators (e.g., high image liking) from Study 1 within each gender expression. The 6 arguments were identical across conditions and selected based on perceived message effectiveness from a pool of 40 arguments. We used linear regression to predict PT with message gender expression and respondent’s gender identity, controlling for message and participants’ characteristics.
Across both studies, results show that messages portraying gender expression matching participants’ gender identity tended to elicit higher PT than messages with unmatched gender expressions. Gender-expansive participants reported higher PT for images and messages with transgender/nonbinary expression compared with those with man expression (BStudy1=.49, p<.001; BStudy2=.34, p<.05), but the difference was not significant between woman and transgender/nonbinary expressions. Cisgender SMW reported higher PT for images with woman expression compared with images with transgender/nonbinary expression (BStudy1=.24, p<.05) or images and messages with man expression (BStudy1=.52, p<.001; BStudy2=.36, p<.01). Cisgender SMM reported higher PT for images and messages with man expression compared with those with transgender/nonbinary expression (BStudy1=.33, p<.01; BStudy2=.28, p<.05) or images with woman expression (BStudy1=.36, p<.001). Additionally, across all SGM subgroups, PTs from viewing images and messages with multiple gender expressions and those matching the participant’s gender identity were not significant. There were no significant differences across conditions among participants who identified as transfeminine or transmasculine.
In conclusion, messages with gender expression that matches SGM young adults’ gender identity or messages with multiple gender expressions are more effective in achieving PT than messages with unmatched gender expressions. We suggest using messages with matched or multiple gender expressions in future health communication for SGM population.
Study 1 used a mixed factorial experimental design among 461 SGM young adults (Mage=24.9, SDage=3.3) recruited from Prolific. Participants were informed that images would be used in anti-tobacco messaging. They rated 8 out of 80 images categorized into four gender expressions: transgender/nonbinary, woman, man, or multiple gender expression. We used cross-classified multilevel modeling to predict PT (a three-item scale adapted from Aaker et al. (2000); e.g., “I would feel the advertisement was intended for people like me.”; a=.97) with image gender expression and respondent’s gender identity, controlling for image (e.g., number of characters in images) and participants’ characteristics (e.g., sexual orientation).
Study 2 used a between-subject experimental design among 1190 SGM young adults (Mage=24.6, SDage=3.3) recruited from Prolific. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions (transgender/nonbinary, woman, man, or multiple gender expression). Each participant viewed 6 anti-smoking messages within their assigned condition and rated the PT of each message (a=.95). Each message consists of an image selected and an anti-smoking argument. We selected 6 images based on four indicators (e.g., high image liking) from Study 1 within each gender expression. The 6 arguments were identical across conditions and selected based on perceived message effectiveness from a pool of 40 arguments. We used linear regression to predict PT with message gender expression and respondent’s gender identity, controlling for message and participants’ characteristics.
Across both studies, results show that messages portraying gender expression matching participants’ gender identity tended to elicit higher PT than messages with unmatched gender expressions. Gender-expansive participants reported higher PT for images and messages with transgender/nonbinary expression compared with those with man expression (BStudy1=.49, p<.001; BStudy2=.34, p<.05), but the difference was not significant between woman and transgender/nonbinary expressions. Cisgender SMW reported higher PT for images with woman expression compared with images with transgender/nonbinary expression (BStudy1=.24, p<.05) or images and messages with man expression (BStudy1=.52, p<.001; BStudy2=.36, p<.01). Cisgender SMM reported higher PT for images and messages with man expression compared with those with transgender/nonbinary expression (BStudy1=.33, p<.01; BStudy2=.28, p<.05) or images with woman expression (BStudy1=.36, p<.001). Additionally, across all SGM subgroups, PTs from viewing images and messages with multiple gender expressions and those matching the participant’s gender identity were not significant. There were no significant differences across conditions among participants who identified as transfeminine or transmasculine.
In conclusion, messages with gender expression that matches SGM young adults’ gender identity or messages with multiple gender expressions are more effective in achieving PT than messages with unmatched gender expressions. We suggest using messages with matched or multiple gender expressions in future health communication for SGM population.