Research indicates that the majority of clients seeking Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services are self-referred, and that a relationship exists between self-referral and the belief that an EAP is effective. Fifty-three subjects read an advertisement proclaiming that a fictitious EAP was effective. Following the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), motivation to elaborate upon the advertisement's arguments was manipulated and two message sources (EAP clients; a fictitious professional consulting firm) were used. Although motivation had no effect on subjects' belief that the EAP was effective or their intention to self-refer, participants exposed to the less expert, trustworthy, and believable source (EAP clients) experienced a greater reduction in their self-referral intention than participants exposed to the more expert, trustworthy, and believable source (consulting firm). A positive correlation between belief in the EAP and self-referral intention was found. Implications for the ELM, EAP advertising, and research are discussed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/185084 |
| Date | January 1994 |
| Creators | Sturmer, Paul J. |
| Contributors | Ball State University. Dept. of Counseling Psychology & Guidance Services., Gerstein, Lawrence H. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | iv, 84 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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