Promoting Abstinence From Alcohol During Pregnancy: Implications From Formative Research

Abstract

This research developed messages to promote abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy and identified elements that enhance message persuasiveness. An exploratory phase was conducted in 2009 that comprised four focus groups with 23 women in Western Australia and elicited beliefs and attitudes on alcohol use during pregnancy and motivations for behaviour change. Four television concepts were subsequently developed and appraised in five focus groups with 31 participants using standard advertising pretesting questions. The implications for campaigns addressing prenatal alcohol exposure and further research are noted and limitations discussed.

Pregnancy as a transition: First‐time expectant couples′ experience with alcohol consumption

“…First, risk discourses were highly internalised by most of the women and their partners. Most often, they opted for a ‘better safe than sorry’ approach . Second, couples framed their avoidance of alcohol during pregnancy as a common‐sense decision that was likely to be shared among their relatives and in the couple relationship, which is consistent with previous studies .…”

Messages that increase women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy: results from quantitative testing of advertising concepts

“…These findings reflect the utility of formative research is developing advertising concepts that not only motivate the desired behaviour but do so without stimulating unintended negative effects. The initial formative research provided insight into execution elements that were likely to be important to minimise unintended effects [18]. Specifically, the relevant findings were that if an honest and factual message is delivered by an expert and supportive source, along with an acknowledgement of the uncertainty surrounding risk to the fetus following low to moderate alcohol exposure in utero, then the message is likely to be persuasive as well as minimise counter-argument.…”

“…Thus, there is a lack of evidence to inform the design of effective campaign strategies and messages. To address this, formative research was conducted with pregnant women and women of childbearing age in Western Australia to develop advertising concepts to increase women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy [18]. This research resulted in three concepts based on two overall approaches: a threat approach based on fear and worry, and a positive approach that sought to promote self-efficacy.…”

Caution! Warning Labels About Alcohol and Pregnancy: Unintended Consequences and Questionable Effectiveness

“…Second, in influencing women's drinking behavior during pregnancy, the messages conveyed about risk, harm, and alcohol play an important role. Many women continue to experience misperceptions or confusion about the risks of low to moderate levels of alcohol use and about what defines levels of alcohol use, or receive advice from health professionals that it is permissible to drink some alcohol while pregnant (France et al 2013). On this point, alcohol warning labels fall short in delivering a message that will lessen these misperceptions.…”

“…On this point, alcohol warning labels fall short in delivering a message that will lessen these misperceptions. Instead, a tailored messaging strategy has been suggested, which could focus on reducing ambiguities about levels of drinking and risk, link drinking behavior to other commonly accepted behavior changes during pregnancy (e.g., folic acid supplements), and center on understanding the drinking patterns of the target audience (France et al 2013). …”