Matthias Morgenstern|Barbara Isensee|James D. Sargent|Reiner Hanewinkel
Attitudes as Mediators of the Longitudinal Association Between Alcohol Advertising and Youth Drinking
Institute for Therapy and Health Research
test hypothesis changes alcoholrelated attitudes expectancies mediate effect alcohol advertising youth drinkinglongitudinal survey 9month intervaltwentynine public schools 3 german statesa total 2130 sixth eighthgrade students age range 1117 years mean 122 years nondrinkers baselineexposure alcohol nonalcohol advertising measured baseline masked images 17 commercial advertisements brand information digitally removed students indicated contact frequency brand namespositive attitudes toward alcohol current alcohol use lifetime binge drinkinga total 581 students 28 started drink alcohol observation period alcohol use initiation positively related baseline alcohol advertisement exposure effect alcohol advertisement exposure alcohol use partially mediated change alcoholrelated attitudes explained 35 total effect controlling baseline covariates exposure advertising contents analysis revealed similar results bingedrinking initiationmore favorable attitudes alcohol may one path alcohol advertising exerts behavioral influence