| While evidence-based treatments for a variety of mental illnesses have become increasingly available to the general public, a majority of those afflicted by mental illness do not seek psychotherapy. The purpose of this study was to examine whether psychotherapy advertisements that are tailored to an individual‟s regulatory focus (Higgins, 1997) can be effective in improving participants‟ attitudes toward psychotherapy, perceptions of credibility and effectiveness, and intentions to seek treatment if needed. A nation-wide sample of adult participants recruited through MTurk were randomized to read one of four description of psychotherapy. In the control condition, basic information about what happens in psychotherapy was provided. In the promotion-focused condition, additional information about states that can be obtained through psychotherapy (i.e., improved self-esteem, greater peace and happiness, stronger relationships, more positive outlook on life) was provided. In the prevention-focused condition, the additional information that was provided discussed states that can be avoided or decreased through psychotherapy (i.e., low self-worth, distress, sadness, relationship conflicts, pessimism). The final condition included both promotion-focused and prevention-focused information. Results did not support the hypotheses posed, but limitations to the present study are discussed and exploratory analyses provided. Applications for encouraging treatment seeking in future studies are also discussed.
Key Words: psychotherapy, advertisements, regulatory focus theory, promotion, prevention, attitudes |