The role of website interactivity in improving depression help-seeking intentions.

Abstract

This study examined the mechanisms through which message and modality interactivity features on a website about depression influenced users' intentions to seek professional help if they were to experience symptoms of depression. We examined interactivity's relationship to central and peripheral processing by testing the moderating role of issue involvement, and the mediating roles of elaboration and absorption. A 2 (Message Interactivity: High/Low) x 2 (Modality Interactivity: High/Low) experiment was conducted, where participants (n = 610) viewed the website and completed a survey that assessed their experience with the website as well as their intentions to seek professional help after viewing the website. Message interactivity did not impact elaboration, but modality interactivity led to decreased absorption. Absorption mediated the relationship between modality interactivity and intentions, and both absorption and elaboration positively predicted intentions. The interaction between message interactivity and modality interactivity did not influence intentions. The manipulation of message and modality interactivity did not directly influence intentions to seek professional help. Message interactivity did not influence elaboration, but previous research suggests the effectiveness of more complex message interactivity features in increasing elaboration. Unexpectedly, modality interactivity had a negative effect on absorption, suggesting varying modality interactivity features may have differential impacts on cognition. Both elaboration and absorption had a positive impact on intentions to seek professional help. The combination of message and modality interactivity features did not impact intentions, suggesting that combining these features for aesthetic purposes or to pique viewers' interest will not affect the persuasiveness of a message.