The print and electronic media have been used effectively in the past to assist individuals in altering negative health behaviors and attitudes associated with obesity, stress, hypertension, and smoking. This article presents the use of a multimedia‐based, health promotion strategy targeted toward AIDS prevention within the family unit. In November of 1988, for 6 consecutive days, 5‐ to 10‐minute segments addressing AIDS and the family were televised on the noon and 9 p.m. news broadcasts of a major television station in the midwest. One hundred fifty‐one 8th‐grade students and their parents were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions. The intervention consisted of prompting participants to view the broadcasts and giving them printed material regarding AIDS and how the topic could be discussed within the family. This AIDS educational newspaper supplement paralleled the content of the daily telecasts. All participants completed questionnaires approximately 1 week prior to and after the media program. Controls were not given the prompt or provided the supplements. Children who were encouraged to watch the program viewed significantly more of the broadcasts, talked more about sexual issues within their families, and were more knowledgeable about AIDS than controls. Parents of children identified as at risk for HIV infection had more difficulty discussing AIDS with their children than parents of children not at risk.

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The present study investigated daily dog droppings and the amount picked up by owners in an urban area. In addition, two behavioral strategies (signs, instructions plus modeling) aimed at increasing the number of dog owners who picked up their dog's feces were evaluated. Findings indicated that during base line only 5% of dog owners picked up after their clogs and over 19 pounds of dog defecations were accumulated on a section of a city block in 1 week. Intervention utilizing signs had little impact; however, introduction of instructions and modeling led to over 80% of the dog owners picking up after their dogs defecated. During a reversal phase, pick-ups decreased somewhat, and upon reintroduction of instructions and modeling, pick-ups again increased. The study's findings were used by a Chicago alderman as support for his ordinance which required dog owners to carry "pooper scoopers. "More than likely, the ordinance, which eventually passed, positively influenced follow-up data in both target and nontarget areas.

Fifteen months after extensive instruction in mental health practices, open-ended responses of 103 subjects confirmed the two tested hypotheses. Findings revealed that (1) significantly more referrals of mental health problems for treatment by a professional were made in a non-ego involving than an ego involving situation, and (2) differences among recommendations were associated with the perception of the problem as (a) mental illness, (b) emotional disturbance, and (c) nervous breakdown. Under conditions of ego involvement, "lay therapeutic" intervention via advising, "straightening out" the patient, and recommending rest, vacation, etc. became a significant treatment modality. The relation of the results to programs of public mental health education are discussed.