BackgroundImplementation outcome measures are essential for monitoring and evaluating the success of implementation efforts. Yet, currently available measures lack conceptual clarity and have largely unknown reliability and validity. This study developed and psychometrically assessed three new measures: the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM), and Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM).MethodsThirty-six implementation scientists and 27 mental health professionals assigned 31 items to the constructs and rated their confidence in their assignments. The Wilcoxon one-sample signed rank test was used to assess substantive and discriminant content validity. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA and CFA) and Cronbach alphas were used to assess the validity of the conceptual model. Three hundred twenty-six mental health counselors read one of six randomly assigned vignettes depicting a therapist contemplating adopting an evidence-based practice (EBP). Participants used 15 items to rate the therapist’s perceptions of the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of adopting the EBP. CFA and Cronbach alphas were used to refine the scales, assess structural validity, and assess reliability. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess known-groups validity. Finally, half of the counselors were randomly assigned to receive the same vignette and the other half the opposite vignette; and all were asked to re-rate acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess test-retest reliability and linear regression to assess sensitivity to change.ResultsAll but five items exhibited substantive and discriminant content validity. A trimmed CFA with five items per construct exhibited acceptable model fit (CFI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.08) and high factor loadings (0.79 to 0.94). The alphas for 5-item scales were between 0.87 and 0.89. Scale refinement based on measure-specific CFAs and Cronbach alphas using vignette data produced 4-item scales (α’s from 0.85 to 0.91). A three-factor CFA exhibited acceptable fit (CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.08) and high factor loadings (0.75 to 0.89), indicating structural validity. ANOVA showed significant main effects, indicating known-groups validity. Test-retest reliability coefficients ranged from 0.73 to 0.88. Regression analysis indicated each measure was sensitive to change in both directions.ConclusionsThe AIM, IAM, and FIM demonstrate promising psychometric properties. Predictive validity assessment is planned.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13012-017-0635-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Our randomized trial found that pictorial cigarette pack warnings elicited more quit attempts than text-only warnings. Purpose In the current study, we sought to identify psychological mechanisms that explain why pictorial cigarette pack warnings change behavior. Methods In 2014 and 2015, we recruited 2,149 adult smokers in North Carolina and California, US. We randomly assigned smokers to receive on their cigarette packs for 4 weeks either a text-only warning (one of the US’s current warnings on the side of cigarette packs) or a pictorial warning (one of the US’s proposed text warnings with pictures on the top half of the front and back of cigarette packs). Results Pictorial warnings increased attention to, reactions to, and social interactions about cigarette pack warnings (all p<.05). However, pictorial warnings changed almost no belief or attitude measures. Mediators of the impact of pictorial warnings included increased attention, negative affect, social interactions, thinking about the warning and harms of smoking, and intentions to quit (all p<.05). Analyses also found that pictorial warnings led to greater avoidance of the warnings, which was associated with more quit attempts (p<.05). Conclusions Pictorial warnings increased quit attempts by eliciting aversive reactions and by keeping the message vividly in smokers’ minds. Contrary to predictions from several theories of health behavior, the warnings exerted little of their influence through changes in beliefs and attitudes and none of their influence through changes in risk perception. We propose the Tobacco Warnings Model based on these findings.

Using MTurk convenience samples can yield generalizable findings for experiments and observational studies. Prevalence estimates from MTurk convenience samples are likely to be over- or underestimates.

BackgroundThe passage of the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act has necessitated the execution of timely, innovative, and policy-relevant tobacco control research to inform Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory and messaging efforts. With recent dramatic changes to tobacco product availability and patterns of use, nationally representative data on tobacco-related perceptions and behaviors are vital, especially for vulnerable populations.MethodsThe UNC Center for Regulatory Research on Tobacco Communication conducted a telephone survey with a national sample of adults ages 18 and older living in the United States (U.S.). The survey assessed regulatory relevant factors such as tobacco product use, tobacco constituent perceptions, and tobacco regulatory agency credibility. The study oversampled high smoking/low income areas as well as cell phone numbers to ensure adequate representation among smokers and young adults, respectively. Coverage extended to approximately 98 % of U.S. households.ResultsThe final dataset (N = 5,014) generated weighted estimates that were largely comparable to other national demographic and tobacco use estimates. Results revealed that over one quarter of U.S. adults, and over one third of smokers, reported having looked for information about tobacco constituents in cigarette smoke; however, the vast majority was unaware of what constituents might actually be present. Although only a minority of people reported trust in the federal government, two thirds felt that the FDA can effectively regulate tobacco products.ConclusionsAs the FDA continues their regulatory and messaging activities, they should expand both the breadth and availability of constituent-related information, targeting these efforts to reach all segments of the U.S. population, especially those disproportionately vulnerable to tobacco product use and its associated negative health outcomes.

Introduction The Tobacco Control Act requires public disclosure of information about toxic constituents in cigarette smoke. To inform these efforts, we studied public understanding of cigarette smoke constituents. Methods We conducted phone surveys with national probability samples of adolescents (n=1125) and adults (n=5014) and an internet survey with a convenience sample of adults (n=4137), all in the USA. We assessed understanding of cigarette smoke constituents in general and of 24 specific constituents. Results Respondents commonly and incorrectly believed that harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke mostly originate in additives introduced by cigarette manufacturers (43–72%). Almost all participants had heard that nicotine is in cigarette smoke, and many had also heard about carbon monoxide, ammonia, arsenic and formaldehyde. Less than one-quarter had heard of most other listed constituents being in cigarette smoke. Constituents most likely to discourage respondents from wanting to smoke were ammonia, arsenic, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, lead and uranium. Respondents more often reported being discouraged by constituents that they had heard are in cigarette smoke (all p<0.05). Constituents with names that started with a number or ended in ‘ene’ or ‘ine’ were less likely to discourage people from wanting to smoke (all p<0.05). Discussion Many people were unaware that burning the cigarette is the primary source of toxic constituents in cigarette smoke. Constituents that may most discourage cigarette smoking have familiar names, like arsenic and formaldehyde and do not start with a number or end in ene/ine. Our findings may help campaign designers develop constituent messages that discourage smoking.

Pictorial cigarette pack warnings increased quit intentions by increasing negative affect. Message reactance partially attenuated this increase in intentions. The opposing associations of negative affect and reactance on perceived risk may explain why pictorial warnings did not lead to observable changes in perceived risk.

Background Interventionists commonly identify promising messages for health communication efforts based on audience members’ ratings of perceived message effectiveness (PME). Purpose We sought to validate a new PME measure that improved on existing scales by focusing on the behavior and respondent, being brief, and having strong psychometric properties. Methods Participants were a national convenience sample of 999 adults and national probability samples of 1,692 adults and 869 adolescents recruited in 2015. Smokers and nonsmokers rated up to six brief messages about the chemicals in cigarette smoke on two PME scales. The first was the new three-item University of North Carolina (UNC) PME Scale that assessed effects perceptions. The second was an established six-item PME scale that assessed message perceptions. We examined the UNC PME Scale’s psychometric properties and compared both scales using item factor analysis. Results The UNC PME Scale measured the same construct across multiple chemical messages (all factor loadings ≥ 0.86). It exhibited high reliability (>0.85) over very low to moderate levels of PME (z = −2.5 to 0.2), a range that is useful for identifying more promising messages. Samples of adults and adolescents showed a similar pattern of results. As expected, the UNC PME Scale was strongly positively correlated with message perceptions (r = .84). It also exhibited strong psychometric properties among participants regardless of education, reactance, sex, and smoking status. Discussion The UNC PME Scale reliably and validly measured PME among adults and adolescents from diverse groups. This brief scale may be used to efficiently evaluate candidate antismoking messages and may be suitable for adaptation to other health risk behaviors.

Objective This study explored the association of stress and depression with a multidimensional sleep problems construct in a sample of 2-year college students. Participants The sample consisted of 440 students enrolled in 2-year study from Fall 2011 to Fall 2013. Methods Participants in an obesity prevention study completed surveys assessing sleep, stress, and depression at baseline, 4, 12, and 24 months. Multilevel models predicting sleep problems were conducted to distinguish episodic from chronic reports of stress and depression. Results Participants were primarily women (68%), white (73%), young adults (M age = 22.8), with an average of 8.4 hours of sleep per night. Neither stress nor depression was predictive of sleep quantity; however, they were predictive of sleep quality. Conclusions Results show that sleep quality rather than sleep quantity may be the greater health concern for young adults, suggesting that intervention programs targeting depression, stress management, and healthy sleep patterns are warranted.