Expanding the Theory of Persuasive Hope: Identifying Mechanisms of Hope’s Effect on Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing Intentions

Emotional reactions to health information significantly influence health decisions. The theory of persuasive hope details how messages can influence behaviors and intentions by evoking hope. Messaging about noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has begun to include hope-focused appeals, and scholars have recommended using hope appeals in messaging about genetic testing. The current study extends the theory of persuasive hope by testing if critical reflection, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers serve as mechanisms of hope's effect on NIPT intentions. Women who were planning to or considering becoming pregnant (<i>N</i> = 744) participated in a message experiment where they received an informational message about NIPT that either included or did not include a hope-focused narrative. The narrative had a positive indirect effect on NIPT intention via hope. Hope influenced intention through greater perceived benefits and lower perceived personal and ethical barriers. Findings further hope theorizing by identifying mechanisms through which hope persuades. Practically, health messaging could gain from using hope-focused narratives to emphasize the benefits and minimize the barriers to engaging in a recommended health behavior. Findings also highlight the ethical ramifications of hope messaging. Hope diminished ethical concerns about NIPT even though messaging did not discuss the ethics of NIPT.