Which vaping prevention videos work best for teens and young adults

Perceived Effectiveness of Vaping Prevention Ads Among Adolescents and Young Adults

Not applicable Interventional UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center · NCT07116837

This project will test which vaping prevention videos young people ages 13–20 find convincing by having susceptible or current vapers watch ads online and rate them.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment3500 (estimated)
Ages13 Years to 20 Years
SexAll
SponsorUNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Academic / other
Locations1 site (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
Trial IDNCT07116837 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Researchers will recruit US residents aged 13–20 who currently vape or are susceptible to vaping and randomize each participant to view five vaping-prevention videos drawn from a larger pool. After viewing, participants will rate each video on a perceived message effectiveness scale and answer questions about vaping appeal and urge to vape; the baseline survey takes about 15–20 minutes. A subset will complete a follow-up about two weeks later to measure recognition and how ad features relate to recall. Recruitment is conducted online through Qualtrics and the study is sponsored by UNC Lineberger with federal collaborators.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are US residents aged 13–20 who have used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days or who answer anything other than “definitely not” on susceptibility questions (with parental permission for minors).

Not a fit: People who live outside the United States, are older than 20, or who are not susceptible to vaping and have no past 30-day vaping use are unlikely to benefit from participating.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help public health teams design more persuasive vaping-prevention ads that better reduce appeal and urge to vape among adolescents and young adults.

How similar studies have performed: Previous communication studies have shown that targeted e-cigarette messages can shift attitudes and intentions among young adults, but there is less evidence focused specifically on adolescents and on which objective video features predict perceived effectiveness.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 13-20 years old
* Current vaper (defined as using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days) or susceptible to vaping. Participants will be considered 'susceptible to vaping' if they answer anything other than "definitely not" to 3 screening items assessing their susceptibility to vaping. An example item is, "If one of your best friends were to offer you a vape, would you use it?" (Definitely not, probably not, probably yes, definitely yes).
* Live in the United States

Exclusion Criteria:

• Live outside of the United States

Where this trial is running

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Vaping
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.