A mixed methods examination of a text message-based mHealth media literacy intervention for U.S. college students amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic, college students were navigating confusing and often conflicting information on social media. Media literacy can help people interpret information online. We developed and tested a text-message media literacy intervention designed for college students. Participants: 267 U.S. college students from a university in the Pacific Northwest. Methods: We used an explanatory mixed methods design with a pretest-posttest field experiment (N = 267) and in-depth interviews (N = 15) to test a text message-based media literacy intervention in April 2020. Results: The intervention influenced media literacy for source and interacted with elaboration to influence media literacy for content and COVID-19 expectancies. Interviews highlighted how media literacy can be bolstered by emphasizing the salience of the role the message source plays in message interpretation. Conclusions: A media literacy text message intervention can prompt college students to consider media literacy related to the source and impact health expectancies.