Effects Of Smokers’ Recent Cessation Failure on Their Responses to Threat Appeals in Anti-Smoking Ads

Background: Quitting smoking often involves multiple cessation attempts before smokers succeed. Recent cessation failure can influence how smokers respond to smoking-related threat appeals in anti-smoking ads that may encourage them to quit smoking. This study aims to investigate the effects of smokers’ recent cessation failure on their responses to smoking-related threat appeals in anti-smoking ads. Methods: This study conducted a 2 (strong vs. weak verbal threat appeal) x 2 (strong vs. weak visual threat appeal) pretest-posttest experiment online with a smoker segment (Korean male smokers in their 30’s) who had the highest rate of attempted smoking cessation across all gender and age groups in Korea. Participants’ recent cessation failure (quit attempts within the previous 12 months) was measured in pretest session. And their cessation intention and defensive responses (e.g., wishful thinking) were assessed during pretest and posttest sessions. Results: For participants with a recent cessation failure (n = 84), anti-smoking ad exposure increased their fatalism and hopelessness. Among participants without a recent cessation failure (n = 41), anti-smoking ad exposure intensified their cessation intention. However, exposure to strong visual threat appeal increased their wishful thinking. Conclusion: Verbal and visual threat appeals in anti-smoking ads had a differential effect on adaptive (e.g., cessation intention) and maladaptive (e.g., fatalism) responses between smokers with and without a recent cessation failure. Study findings expand our understanding of the empirical linkage between recent cessation failure, smoking prevention messaging in anti-smoking ads and psychological coping mechanism among smokers.