‘’NoThanks!’’ Encouraging Dutch Adults to Take a Break From Alcohol by Partaking in a Temporary Abstinence Challenge
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2022-07-08
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en
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Abstract
Alcohol use is considered one of the major preventable risk factors that contribute to the rise
of noncommunicable diseases. To counter this threat to global public health, campaigns have
emerged that aid people to limit their alcohol consumption through one-month abstinence
challenges. The proven effectiveness of these challenges reveals the potential impact if more
people would participate. It is therefore important to encourage more people to sign up for an
abstinence challenge. In two studies this research aims to understand the psychological factors
underlying the decision to sign up (Study I) and investigate ways to influence sign-up
behaviour (Study II). In Study I, we developed a theoretical model based on the Value-Based
Choice Model. This was tested by means of a questionnaire (N =84). Results indicated that the
likelihood of signing up was predicted by anticipated reward associated with challenge
participation. Based on this finding, we developed and implemented an intervention on the
IkPas website in order to improve sign-up behaviour of visitors in Study II (N = 3051). Website
visitors were randomly redirected to one of three versions (control, testimonials, combination)
of the IkPas landing page, after which we tracked whether they signed up. The landing page
that combined reward-emphasizing testimonials with an improved website design yielded
significantly more sign-ups for the June challenge than the regular and testimonials-only page.
This finding illustrates that sign-up behaviour can be improved among potential participants
and expresses the need for future research to identify the effective components of the
intervention.
Keywords: behaviour change, community sample, preregistration, value-based-choice model
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Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen