ASPO Abstracts

Authors: Stapleton JL, Manne SL, Pagoto SL

Category: Behavioral Science & Health Communication, Lifestyles Behavior, Energy Balance & Chemoprevention
Conference Year: 2018

Abstract Body:
Objective: To evaluate engagement with and acceptability of using a secret Facebook group to deliver a healthy body image intervention to young women engaged in indoor tanning. Methods: Seventeen young women completed a baseline survey and joined a secret Facebook group with intervention content delivered via daily posts for 4 weeks. Engagement data was extracted and acceptability was measured via a follow-up survey. Results: The study had a high retention rate (94%, 16 participants). On average, posts were viewed by 91% of participants, liked by 35%, and commented on by 26%. The average comment rate was highest (65%) for posts that elicited comments by directly posing questions or discussion topics to the group. Average intervention acceptability ratings were highly positive and participants reported feeling connected to the group and its topic. Average rates of past 1-month indoor tanning reported following the intervention were lower than the baseline rate (p = 0.08, Cohen’s d= 0.47). Conclusions: This study is novel in demonstrating participant engagement with and acceptability of using Facebook secret groups to deliver a dissonance-inducing intervention approach that utilizes group-based discussions related to body image. The study is also unique within the field of skin cancer prevention by demonstrating the potential value of delivering an indoor tanning intervention within an interactive social media format. The findings suggest that Facebook metrics of intervention post engagement (i.e., likes and comments) may vary based on post types and that designing specifically labeled discussion posts may be helpful for soliciting engagement as well as challenging beliefs.

Keywords: skin cancer prevention; behavioral intervention; indoor tanning; body image; social media

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