ANALYSIS OF ADOLESCENTS BELIEFS ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF USING DENTAL-FLOSS AND DRINKING NON-SUGARED MINERAL-WATER

Using an expectancy value approach, personal and normative beliefs abo ut the outcome of using dental floss and drinking non-sugared mineral water were studied in a sample of 970 15-year-old adolescents in the c ounty of Hordaland in Norway. The data stem from a survey performed in October 1992. A detailed analysis of these beliefs provides informati on about which of them should be targeted in a persuasive communicatio n directed at changing behavior. The adolescents evaluated six outcome s of each behavior in terms of how much they wanted or feared them, an d rated the probability of each outcomes happening. The adolescents al so rated the probability that four significant referents would approve the performance of each behavior and how much they valued the approva l of each referent. Subjects with relatively strong and relatively wea k intentions to use dental floss and to drink non-sugared mineral wate r (intenders and non-intenders) were compared with respect to their sc ores on each measure. A one-way analysis of variance showed consistent differences between intenders and non-intenders. Intenders were more likely to believe that the specified behaviors would result in positiv e outcomes and they evaluated these outcomes as more desirable than no n-intenders. Intenders believed their referents, in particular dentist s and parents to be more concerned about whether or not to perform the specified behaviors than non-intenders. The most promising candidates for persuasive communication among behavioral beliefs with respect to the specified behaviors appeared to be reduced tooth decay and severa l non, health beliefs in terms of immediate social and sensory concern s.