ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to describe a conceptual framework and measures for quantitatively assessing media literacy when conducting program evaluations of the impact of media literacy education (MLE) programs on health outcomes. The conceptual framework organizes the array of assessment tools into different types of cognitions and skills related to media literacy. This chapter discusses the need for the development and use of a set of standardized measures to support replication studies and meta-analyses. It also provides a brief overview of the theoretical frameworks that have guided the development and evaluation of recent MLE programs for health promotion and highlights the need for rigorous theory testing and further theoretical development to better understand the mechanisms underlying the impact of MLE on health behaviors and outcomes. This chapter bridges the fields of MLE, media effects, and health behavior and suggests the need for an integrated MLE framework to advance the understanding of the impact of MLE on immediate and long-term media literacy and health outcomes. MLE for health promotion has grown tremendously in recent years; however, the field continues to face the challenge of defining and quantifying the construct of media literacy.
