Risk Perception of Sexually Transmitted Infections: Testing the Effect of Different Risk-Communication Strategies

adults (WHO, 2019) and their continuous increase is the sign of a drop of the risk perception of contracting STIs. (Giuliani, 2017). In order to address this growing issue, the World Health Organization (WHO) is currently developing a preventive evidence-based intervention (WHO, 2018) that aims, by 2030, to end the STIs epidemic as a major public health concern. Moreover, there is no research that has investigated so far the risk perception of contracting STIs in people suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is characterized by sexual dysfunctions (Real, Montejo, Alonso et al., 2013). Objectives: The study seeks to contribute to the goal set by the WHO and to promote research in the field of sexual health through a multidisciplinary intervention that integrates the knowledge of Psychology and Health Communication to improve the effectiveness of risk-communication messages in increasing the STIs risk perception. The study examined before whether a match between the orientation of an individual (promotion vs. prevention) and the type of message (fit vs. unfit) lead to higher or lower risk perception of STIs. The study moreover investigated what kind of message-framing (prevention vs. promotion) is more persuasive in increasing STIs risk perception. The study finally explores potential associations between the regulatory orientation, obsessive-compulsive tendencies and the STIs risk perception. Method: The study employed a 2 (promotion vs. prevention) x 2 (fit vs. unfit) between-subjects factorial design. A sample of 547 Italian young adults (425 females and 122 males) participated in the compilation of an anonymous questionnaire, which aimed to assess the effect of different types of messages on the risk perception of contracting STIs. Once randomly assigned to the promotion or prevention condition, the participants read a flyer containing a message frame that fitted or did not fit their previous condition (promotion vs. prevention). Subsequently, participants were asked to answer questions that measured their risk perception of contracting STIs. After 1 month, 121 participants were given an anonymous questionnaire to evaluate obsessive and compulsive tendencies. Results: The results of the study revealed a significant difference between the four experimental groups concerning the frequency with which participants discussed the use of a protective method with the partner [F(3 520)=4.39, p=.005, η2p=.025], showing a higher frequency in the prevention fit group (M=3.05, SD=.90). Moreover, no statistically significant difference in the persuasive efficacy between fit vs. unfit conditions on the risk perception of contracting STIs was found [F(3 499)=1.61, p=.18, η2p=.010]. However, the prevention group showed a greater risk perception of contracting STIs (M=1.71, SD=.85) than the promotion one (M=1.58, SD=.73). Furthermore, no association between the regulatory orientation and obsessive-compulsive tendencies was found (sufficient control over the mental activity [t(54)=.91, p=.36]; behavioral control [t(54)=-.88, p=.38]; impulsivity control [t(54)=.003, p=.99]; contamination [t(54)=-1.93, p=.059]). The study even revealed a moderating effect of the controlling behavior on the relationship between the concern of contracting infections and the risk perception of STIs. Conclusions: The findings from this study showed that an effective public sexual health campaign should rely on prevention-frame messages in motivating people to engage in healthy sexual behaviors.