Description

Utilizing mixed methods to assess parasocial interaction of an entertainment–education program audience

YOKO KAWAMURA

Research Resident – Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research, National Cancer Center for Cancer Control and Information Services, Tokyo, Japan

NATALIYA V IVANKOVA

Associate Professor – Educational Psychology and Research, School of Education, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham AL, USA

CONNIE L KOHLER

Associate Professor – Health Behavior, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham AL, USA

SUZANNE PERUMEAN-CHANEY

Assistant Professor – Justice Sciences, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham AL, USA

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to develop a model to interpret the degree that parasocial interaction affects entertainment-education radio drama listeners’ levels of self-efficacy and practices pertaining to physical exercise. The study utilized a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design. The quantitative strand tested the hypothesized model via path analysis on survey data collected from 105 participants. The qualitative strand developed a grounded theory based on interviews of 18 individuals. The final composite model was developed utilizing triangulation and complementarity in the integration process. Empirical evidence and theoretical discussion supported the processes of integration. Limitations and implications are also addressed.

Keywords: mixed methods, triangulation, integration, parasocial interaction, self-efficacy, path analysis, grounded theory