TITLE: Study Protocol: Using Video Testimonials as a School-Based Social Marketing Intervention in Adolescent Smoking Cessation Programs
AUTHORS: Mohammad Eko Fitrianto, Basu Swastha Dharmmesta, Bernardinus Maria Purwanto

[DESCRIPTION]
This protocol study intended to describe the examination process of emotion-based study and interpersonal relationship in context of adolescent smoking. We designed a school-based smoking cessation program as a social marketing intervention tool to influence high-school student behavior using a testimonial video. We stimulate participant empathy with hypothetical scenario to observe their reaction to the stimulus. Two main independent variables in this study are salience of need and attachment style. Experimental design in this study using 2 × 2 factorial design, with one control condition. Procedures start with participants were shown a testimonial video of an adolescent suffering due to smoking, and ended by asking the participants to imagine if such consequences were happening to their own peers. Video testimony was recorded in a high-definition format (full HD 1080p/60fps) using a Sony Alpha 6000. Video editing was performed using Camtasia Studio 2019 in mp4 format. The potential implications of this research suggest that schools, as organizations, can utilize a multimedia approach (e.g., video testimonials) to design comprehensive social marketing programs focused on peer relationships.

[BEFORE_START]
What should to prepare
Study design
Ethical clearance (study of conduct)
Determine the manipulation level (for this study: Level of severity)
Video testimonial production plan
Audio & Video recording device (for video testimonial production)
Research instrument development (integrated between study queries and video manipulation)
Trivia questions
Random sampling process plan
Random assignment process plan
Bias mitigation plan
Manipulation check procedures
Time schedule
On the spot study monitoring plan

[GUIDELINES]
This study consists of three main stages, namely: preparation, study implementation and post-study implementation. The study implementation guide is as follows.
All procedures must comply with standard research ethics
School selection is carried out randomly
Participants were selected due to a random procedure, not voluntarily
Participants receive gender-matching manipulation, due to this is an emotion-based study
To minimize participant guess the research hypothesis, apply double blind method
All of study activity accompanied by homeroom teacher
All participants and the actors are involved in this study is under 18, make sure to covered their personal identity
Make sure the activity to do not disturb daily learning process activity, due to this study conduct in school settings
Time management is important. Make sure all activity progressing according to the plan. Delay in the process can result on disturb daily learning process activity. Make sure to followed the research protocol to avoid activity delay
Good teamwork is important to prevent systematical error

[STEPS]
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
1. Study design
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
1.2. Decide to use control condition (variables and group control)
To minimize the possibility of alternative answer, researcher must control the participants age and sex. Control condition may imply with this situation: participants and the actors are in the same age and participant will receive study manipulation that match with their gender. 
To create a benchmark and to compare to the experiment result, provide a control group. Participant in this group do not receive the experimental treatment. 
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
1.3. Bias mitigation plan
Gender bias mitigation 
Double-blind method
SECTION: Phase II: The experimental study
14. Instrument distribution
The pdf file distributed through class group chat (via WhatsApp group) 
SECTION: Phase III: Post experimental study
21. Manipulation check
Conduct a manipulation check to ensure there is a significant difference between level of treatment (i.e. light vs severe condition)
Significant difference between level of treatment shown the effectiveness of the treatment
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
1.1. Decide the factorial design
The researcher decide the factorial design, in this study we use a 2 × 2 factorial design, with one control condition
 

SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
3. Determine the manipulation levels
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
3.1. Conduct Focus Group Discussion (FGD)
Researcher decide what relevant information related to the manipulation development that will discussed in the discussion.
To get more accurate information about health consequence of smoking, and to conceptualize the research manipulation, we conduct FGD at Lung Hospital located in Bantul, Yogyakarta
We collect information about (1) adolescent patients who had experienced health problems due to smoking and (2) the level of suffering.
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
3.2. Conceptualize the level of suffering
According to previous information, conceptualize the level of suffering in two level (light and severe suffering)
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
4.1. Video testimonial design
Every video testimonial consisted of two parts. The first part was about a negative smoking consequence (salience of need), and the second consisted of the attachment style (attachment figure)
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
4. Video testimonials Production (experimental manipulation)
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
4.2. School permission. 
To obtain a school permission is vary, due to administration procedures. Estimate it will take 4 weeks.
The school provides permission and lists the names of students who will participate as video models 
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
4.3. Video testimonial production
 

Video shooting notes
To avoid psychological exhaustion and irrelevant messages, limit the video duration to around 1-1.30 minutes.
We recommends to record the video in a high-definition format (full HD 1080p/60fps)
Convert the video into common video format (i.e. *.mp4) and upload it to online video storage (i.e. youtube.com)
Generating the link, and given a code to each link to make identification easier
Please remind that, there will be 10 versions of video link according to number of conditions
The entire video shooting process accompanied by a teacher

 


SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
7. Research instrument development
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
5. Random sampling process procedures
Random sampling procedures ensuring that every student had an equal chance of being selected as a participant.
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
6. Random assignment procedures
Input the name list into random assignment application, and let the software randomize the list. Set the group according to study design. In this study, we employed five groups that contains of experimental groups (with manipulation condition) and control group (no manipulation condition).
 
After the randomization process, we obtain a list of participant according to the group their belong.
SECTION: Phase II: The experimental study
15. Answer the Trivia Question (covariate mitigation)
Experimenter (the teacher) give the signal to start answer the trivia
SECTION: Phase II: The experimental study
17. Study monitoring plan 
During the experimental study, the researcher must monitor the whole progress of study to giving quick response to the undesirable event (i.e. internet access problem, personal device problem, access problem, etc.)
 

SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
5.1. Obtain list of active student. 
In this study, the school provide a list of an active student from two classes grade XI student.
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
2. Provide ethical clearance 
To obtain a institutional ethical clearance is vary, due to administration procedures. Estimate it will take 4 weeks.
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
9. Obtain participant consent a day before the experimental study conduct
One of the critical steps due to comply research ethics.
The researcher can use a google form to collect and store the data online
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
5.2. Prepare the student name list for random assignment phase
Due to this study conduct gender-matching procedures, please give a gender code followed after each name (e.g. M=Male, F=Female)
Example: Alan Andreasen (M) 
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
7.1. Prepare the TRIVIA question (for mitigating the covariates)

 

SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
8.2. Compile the research instrument into 'The PDF File' 
 

 

SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
7.2. Prepare the main study question (study manipulation)
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
10. Meet the experimenter (the homeroom teacher) 
Arrange a meeting with the teacher one day before the experimental study
In order to achieve the experimental study goal, we need a help from homeroom teacher to deliver the procedures. 
The role of experimenter is very vital, such as to distribute the research instrument, reading the instruction, and giving a signal to start and stop the activity. 
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
4.4. Video testimonial result
 
English translation: "I felt a very severe cough every day and shortness of breath until I was hospitalized"

 

SECTION: Phase II: The experimental study
13. Opening and Reading the Instruction
The experimenter set-up the class to start the study
The experimenter read the study instruction
The experimenter giving a signal to start and stop the activity
 

SECTION: Phase II: The experimental study
18. Debriefing
After the participants submitted their responses, announced the purpose of the study and thanked them for their participation
 

SECTION: Phase III: Post experimental study
19. Data check and validation
After participant submitted their response, the answer will be automatically stored at the system
Data validation related to check the mortality rate, or participant that failed to participate in this study (i.e. not finished to answer the question, or failed to understanding the instruction)
In our case, we found 1 participant incorrect to join the group where he/she should be belong (e.g. wrong click the link)
SECTION: Phase II: The experimental study
16. Participant carefully listen a part of research manipulation
 
Note. A portrayed of a student when participate in the experimental study 
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
7.3. Prepare the manipulation check question
Manipulation checks were conducted to ensure the success of the experimental manipulations and that the participants responded accordingly
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
8. Link integration
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
8.1. Integrated link between participant's attribute and the research treatment
This is a critical step. Be careful when integrated between participant's attribute (gender, group they belong, etc.) with the research treatment.
There are ten versions of treatment, participant must accurate receive the link that he/she suppose to received.
Errors in embedding links, resulted in participants failing to participate in the study.

 

SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
7.4. Provide direct link to the treatment.

For example:
 

SECTION: Phase II: The experimental study
11. Arrived at school and meet with the experimenter
Meet the experimenter (the homeroom teacher) and giving a brief explanation about the study
Optional, if the study is conduct in the morning: Noted that it is very common school in Indonesia start their learning process at 06.30 AM. Please arrived before the the learning process will begun
SECTION: Phase III: Post experimental study
20. Data compilation and preliminary analysis
Reminds the ten versions of data, be careful in compilation process
Reminds the code to help identify the group (i.e. 1=Male, 2=Female, or A, B, C, D, and E for group of treatment)
Compile the data carefully in common statistical software format (i.e. SPSS)  
SECTION: Phase II: The experimental study
12. Handling the mortality rate
Before the study started, make sure to ask the homeroom teacher about the student (or participant) who were unable to take part in the study
This part is important related to documenting the mortality rate and check if the random assignment works well.
In our case, 15 students could not participate in the research and they are well distributed from all groups. This means random assignment works well.
SECTION: Phase I: Preparation
8.3. Bias mitigation procedures
All the experiments were performed individually
Each participant will receive unique link, and it direct to their manipulation according to random assignment process
Double-blind method not allowed participant to identify the kind of other treatment, even they cant identify their own treatment
This procedures also not allowed each group interact or diffuse each other