PROBLEMÁTICA AMBIENTAL EN EL DISTRITO METROPOLITANO DE

To test whether the effect of background variables on knowledge, attitudes and behaviours toward OTCs were mediated by socialisation process, this study used procedures

136 suggested by Baron and Kenny (1986). They specified four conditions that need to be satisfied among independent variables (background), mediators (socialisation process) and dependent variables (knowledge, attitudes and behaviours) to establish mediation.

First, independent variables (background) must affect the dependent variables (knowledge, attitudes and behaviours). A series of simple logistic regression was conducted to test for this. In New Zealand, only the effect of SES on the act of recommending proper

consumption was significant (χ2= 8.543, df = 2, n = 276, p<0.05). In Malaysia, only religiosity was significant with perceived knowledge (χ2= 14.408, df = 2, n = 233, p<0.01). Following Baron and Kenny’s (1986) guidelines, there is no need to test for mediation effects for those relationships that are not significant (as, then, there is no relationship between antecedent and outcome to be mediated). Further testing was therefore conducted on the two significant results only.

For the second condition of mediation, the independent variable is regressed on the mediators. Thus, in New Zealand only SES was regressed on all the socialisation process variables. Similarly, in Malaysia only religiosity was regressed on socialisation process variables. Results of logistic regressions in New Zealand revealed that SES only affects television use (χ2= 7.357, df = 2, n = 276, p<0.05) and communication with medical personnel (χ2 = 6.663, df = 2, n = 276, p<0.05). In Malaysia, religiosity has an impact only on television use (χ2 = 11.922, df = 1, n = 233, p<0.05) and communication with retail staff (χ2 = 4.021, df = 1, n = 233, p<0.05). Other socialisation agents failed the second condition, indicating a mediation effect does not exist for those variables.

137 For the third condition, the mediator is regressed on the dependent variables. In New Zealand, television use and communication with medical personnel were regressed on the act of recommending proper consumption of OTCs. Knowledge, attitudes and label reading were not tested with respect to television use and communication with medical personnel as these variables were not significant under the first condition. For the same reason, in Malaysia only television use and communication with retail staff were regressed on perceived knowledge. Results of logistic regression in New Zealand revealed that neither television use nor communication with retail staff was significant in the act of recommending proper consumption of OTCs, indicating a lack of a mediation effect. Similarly, in Malaysia the effects of television use and communication with retail staff on perceived knowledge were not significant, implying that a mediation effect does not exist in Malaysia as well and, therefore conducting the last set of tests suggested by Baron and Kenny is a moot point.

Based on these results, it can be concluded that background variables on knowledge, attitudes and behaviours regarding OTCs did not mediate socialisation by family, peers, mass media and communication with medical personnel and retail staff. These results are similar for New Zealand and Malaysia. Thus, Hypothesis 5 is not supported. The current study’s findings are congruent with Nguyen et al. (2009). In that study, mass media and peer communication did not mediate the relationship between disruptive family events and materialism. In addition, socio-oriented family communication also did not mediate SES effects on materialistic values (Nguyen et al., 2009).

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5.6 Chapter Summary

The hypotheses developed in Chapter 3 have been examined through various statistical analyses and discussion of the results has been offered. To answer objectives one to three, a series of multiple logistic regressions was performed. Objective four was analysed using the chi-square test. The last objective follows the procedures by Baron and Kenny (1986). A summary of significant results is displayed in Table 5-29.

Table 5-29: Summary of significant results Objective 1

Examine the degree to which an adolescent’s socioeconomic, family or religious background may influence how he or she learns to be a consumer of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals.

New Zealand Malaysia

Adolescents’ socioeconomic status is a predictor of television use, where respondents of moderate socioeconomic status were less likely to use television as a source of

information about OTCs compared to those of low socioeconomic status.

Adolescents’ religiosity is a predictor of television use, where religious respondents were over three times more likely to use television as a source of information.

Family structure is a predictor of

communication with retail staff, where those who stay with intact families were more likely have consulted with retail staff about OTCs as compared to those in non-intact families.

Socioeconomic status is a predictor of internet usage, where more of the respondents of high socioeconomic status would use the internet as a source of information compared to moderate and low socioeconomic status.

Both socioeconomic status and religiosity predict communication with retail staff. Religious respondents and those of moderate socioeconomic status were less likely to have consulted with retail staff about OTCs as compared to their counterparts.

Objective 2

Examine the degree to which an adolescent’s socioeconomic, family or religious background may influence consumption-relevant outcomes of perceived knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours towards over-the-counter medicines

New Zealand Malaysia

None of the hypotheses is significant. Adolescents’ religiosity is a predictor of perceived knowledge about OTCs, where religious respondents are more likely to report that they have high knowledge.

Objective 3

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knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours toward over-the-counter medicines

New Zealand Malaysia

Family communication, normative peer influence and radio use are predictors of perceived knowledge about OTCs. The strongest predictor was normative peer

influence, where high knowledge is more likely to be reported among those high in normative peer influence. This was followed by family communication patterns, where a person in concept-oriented family communication patterns was more likely to perceive they have high knowledge than a person in socio-oriented family communication patterns. For radio usage, a person who would use radio as a source of information was less likely to report that they have high knowledge.

Utilisation of print media is a predictor of reading an OTC’s label. Respondents who would use print media as a source of

information were more likely to report that they read the label carefully.

Reading print media is a predictor of perceived knowledge. Those who read print media were more likely to report they have higher

knowledge.

Objective 4

Examine and compare the consumer socialisation of adolescents living in Malaysia and New Zealand with respect to over-the-counter medicines.

With respect to socialisation agents, significant differences were found in family communication patterns, mass media usage, and communication with medical personnel and retail staff.

With respect to socialisation outcomes, significant differences were found in perceived knowledge, attitudes and label reading. Malaysian respondents perceived they had higher knowledge and read the label more carefully than the New Zealand respondents, while New Zealand respondents showed higher confidence attitudes compared to Malaysian respondents.

Overall, the effect of background variables and socialisation process on knowledge, attitudes and behaviours show more similarities than differences.

Objective 5

The mediation effects of socialisation variables in their relationships between adolescents’ background with knowledge, attitudes and behaviours toward over-the-counter pharmaceuticals

New Zealand Malaysia

There was no statistical evidence of a mediation effect.

There was no statistical evidence of a mediation effect.

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Chapter 6