Trial Outcomes & Findings for Trial on the Effect of E-cigarette Advertising on Cigarette Perceptions in Adolescents (NCT NCT03786042)

Last Updated: 2025-09-26

Results Overview

Scores are measured by recording the amount of time (milliseconds) it takes to categorize smoking-related words with positive (e.g., cool) and negative (e.g., cancer) words. Faster reaction times when categorizing smoking-related words with positive words is evidence of higher positive smoking expectancies.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

Target enrollment

139 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

within 5 minutes post intervention

Results posted on

2025-09-26

Participant Flow

139 participants competed the consent process and agreed to participate in this study. However, only 127 completed any study visits because of the suspension of in-person lab visits caused by the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2020 and July 2021.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure	E-cigarette ad Exposure Participants in the e-cigarette ad exposure condition will view e-cigarette ads on the computer screen while having their eye movements tracked E-cigarette ad exposure: Participants view a series of e-cigarette TV commercials	Non E-cigarette ad Exposure Participants in the non e-cigarette ad exposure condition will view non e-cigarette ads on the computer screen while having their eye movements tracked non e-cigarette TV commercials: Participants view a series of non e-cigarette TV commercials
Overall Study STARTED	86	41
Overall Study COMPLETED	86	41
Overall Study NOT COMPLETED	0	0

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

1 participant in the e-cigarette condition did not indicate their sex 1 participant in the control condition did not indicate their sex

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure	E-cigarette ad Exposure n=86 Participants Participants in the e-cigarette ad exposure condition will view e-cigarette ads on the computer screen while having their eye movements tracked E-cigarette ad exposure: Participants view a series of e-cigarette TV commercials	Non E-cigarette ad Exposure n=41 Participants Participants in the non e-cigarette ad exposure condition will view non e-cigarette ads on the computer screen while having their eye movements tracked non e-cigarette TV commercials: Participants view a series of non e-cigarette TV commercials	Total n=127 Participants Total of all reporting groups
Age, Categorical <=18 years	86 Participants n=86 Participants	41 Participants n=41 Participants	127 Participants n=127 Participants
Age, Categorical Between 18 and 65 years	0 Participants n=86 Participants	0 Participants n=41 Participants	0 Participants n=127 Participants
Age, Categorical >=65 years	0 Participants n=86 Participants	0 Participants n=41 Participants	0 Participants n=127 Participants
Age, Continuous	15.04 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.01 • n=86 Participants	15.36 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.20 • n=41 Participants	15.15 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.08 • n=127 Participants
Sex: Female, Male Female	43 Participants n=85 Participants • 1 participant in the e-cigarette condition did not indicate their sex 1 participant in the control condition did not indicate their sex	24 Participants n=40 Participants • 1 participant in the e-cigarette condition did not indicate their sex 1 participant in the control condition did not indicate their sex	67 Participants n=125 Participants • 1 participant in the e-cigarette condition did not indicate their sex 1 participant in the control condition did not indicate their sex
Sex: Female, Male Male	42 Participants n=85 Participants • 1 participant in the e-cigarette condition did not indicate their sex 1 participant in the control condition did not indicate their sex	16 Participants n=40 Participants • 1 participant in the e-cigarette condition did not indicate their sex 1 participant in the control condition did not indicate their sex	58 Participants n=125 Participants • 1 participant in the e-cigarette condition did not indicate their sex 1 participant in the control condition did not indicate their sex
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Hispanic or Latino	1 Participants n=86 Participants	0 Participants n=41 Participants	1 Participants n=127 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Not Hispanic or Latino	85 Participants n=86 Participants	41 Participants n=41 Participants	126 Participants n=127 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported	0 Participants n=86 Participants	0 Participants n=41 Participants	0 Participants n=127 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) American Indian or Alaska Native	0 Participants n=86 Participants	0 Participants n=41 Participants	0 Participants n=127 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Asian	6 Participants n=86 Participants	0 Participants n=41 Participants	6 Participants n=127 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	0 Participants n=86 Participants	0 Participants n=41 Participants	0 Participants n=127 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Black or African American	2 Participants n=86 Participants	0 Participants n=41 Participants	2 Participants n=127 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) White	74 Participants n=86 Participants	41 Participants n=41 Participants	115 Participants n=127 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) More than one race	0 Participants n=86 Participants	0 Participants n=41 Participants	0 Participants n=127 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported	4 Participants n=86 Participants	0 Participants n=41 Participants	4 Participants n=127 Participants
Region of Enrollment United States	86 Participants n=86 Participants	41 Participants n=41 Participants	127 Participants n=127 Participants
Positive smoking expectancies	0.88 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.33 • n=86 Participants	0.68 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.13 • n=41 Participants	0.83 units on a scale STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.30 • n=127 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: within 5 minutes post intervention

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	E-cigarette ad Exposure n=86 Participants Participants in the e-cigarette ad exposure condition will view e-cigarette ads on the computer screen while having their eye movements tracked E-cigarette ad exposure: Participants view a series of e-cigarette TV commercials	Non E-cigarette ad Exposure n=41 Participants Participants in the non e-cigarette ad exposure condition will view non e-cigarette ads on the computer screen while having their eye movements tracked non e-cigarette TV commercials: Participants view a series of non e-cigarette TV commercials
Implicit Positive Smoking Expectancies, Measured by the Implicit Association Test	1072.96 milliseconds Standard Deviation 171.91	1029.87 milliseconds Standard Deviation 108.60

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: approximately 30 minutes post intervention

Population: Data not collected for participants in Non E-cigarette ad Exposure Arm because they were not exposed to e-cigarette advertisements.

Eye-tracking will be used to measure the amount of time (milliseconds) spent looking at static smoking cues in screen shots taken from e-cigarette advertisements. The amount time spent looking at a smoking cue is a measure how much attention was given to the smoking cue. The longer the looking time, the greater amount of attention.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	E-cigarette ad Exposure n=86 Participants Participants in the e-cigarette ad exposure condition will view e-cigarette ads on the computer screen while having their eye movements tracked E-cigarette ad exposure: Participants view a series of e-cigarette TV commercials	Non E-cigarette ad Exposure Participants in the non e-cigarette ad exposure condition will view non e-cigarette ads on the computer screen while having their eye movements tracked non e-cigarette TV commercials: Participants view a series of non e-cigarette TV commercials
Amount of Time Spent Looking at Static Smoking Cues in E-cigarette Advertisements	972.34 milliseconds Standard Deviation 581.76	—

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: within 5 minutes post intervention

Scores are measured by recording the amount of time (milliseconds) it takes to categorize vaping-related words with positive (e.g., cool) and negative (e.g., cancer) words. Faster reaction times when categorizing smoking-related words with positive words is evidence of higher positive smoking expectancies.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	E-cigarette ad Exposure n=86 Participants Participants in the e-cigarette ad exposure condition will view e-cigarette ads on the computer screen while having their eye movements tracked E-cigarette ad exposure: Participants view a series of e-cigarette TV commercials	Non E-cigarette ad Exposure n=41 Participants Participants in the non e-cigarette ad exposure condition will view non e-cigarette ads on the computer screen while having their eye movements tracked non e-cigarette TV commercials: Participants view a series of non e-cigarette TV commercials
Implicit Positive Vaping Expectancies, Measured by the Implicit Association Test	1001.37 milliseconds Standard Deviation 114.74	1029.86 milliseconds Standard Deviation 108.60

Adverse Events

E-cigarette ad Exposure

Serious events: 0 serious events

Other events: 0 other events

Deaths: 0 deaths

Non E-cigarette ad Exposure

Serious events: 0 serious events

Other events: 0 other events

Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Research Scientist

Dartmouth college

Phone: 603-646-5408

Email: [email protected]

Results disclosure agreements

Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
Publication restrictions are in place