Tailoring e-Cigarette Health Messages by Vaping Status: How Source and Message Presentation Type Shape Young Adults’ Perceptions

INTRODUCTION: This study examined how message sidedness (one-sided vs. two-sided) and source (expert vs. peer) influence young adults' perceptions of e-cigarette heath messages, with attention to differences between those who currently vape, those who ever vaped and never vaped. METHODS: We conducted a 2 (sidedness) x 2 (source) online experiment with a sample of young adults (n = 802, Mage = 21.49). Participants were randomly assigned to view 18 messages about the health effects of vaping. After each message, they rated message and source perceptions. Following exposure to all messages, they completed measures assessing e-cigarette attitudes, risk beliefs, behavioral intentions, and demographics. Generalized linear models were used to examine the effects of message conditions and vaping status on outcomes, adjusting for demographics. RESULTS: Participants reported higher trust in experts than peers (p