Matching health messages to monitor-blunter coping styles to motivate screening mammography

• Published in: Health psychology Vol. 24; no. 1; p. 58
• Main Authors: Williams-Piehota, Pamela, Pizarro, Judith, Schneider, Tamera R, Mowad, Linda, Salovey, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2005
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Aged; Attitude to Health; Breast Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Breast Neoplasms - prevention & control; Breast Neoplasms - psychology; Communication; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health Behavior; Health Education - methods; Health Promotion - methods; Humans; Internal-External Control; Interviews as Topic; Mammography - psychology; Mammography - utilization; Mass Screening - psychology; Middle Aged; Motivation; Persuasive Communication; Risk Assessment
• ISSN: 0278-6133
• DOI: 10.1037/0278-6133.24.1.58

This study examined whether providing messages matched to women's monitor-blunter coping styles is effective in encouraging mammography utilization. Female callers to a cancer information hotline were assessed at the end of their regular telephone call and classified as monitors or blunters. A randomly assigned message promoting mammography utilization, tailored for monitors or blunters, was delivered on the telephone, and a similarly tailored brochure and refrigerator magnet were mailed to participants immediately after their call. Women were telephoned 6 and 12 months later to determine whether they had obtained a mammogram. Messages matched to a woman's monitor-blunter coping style encouraged mammography after 6 months more effectively than mismatched messages and were significantly more effective for blunters but not for monitors.