Interpersonal Communication Elements, Profile, and Strategies and Uncertainty Reduction of Women Participating in Pabasa sa Nutrisyon in Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines

Abstract

Grounded on the Uncertainty Reduction Theory (Berger & Callabrese, 1975), this study aimed to determine the association of interpersonal communication (IPC) elements, profile, and strategies used by 222 women participating in a nutrition education program in the Pabasa sa Nutrisyon to uncertainty reduction. Pabasa sa Nutrisyon is an information-sharing activity to educate mothers on the proper selection and preparation of family meals to prevent and control malnutrition. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, and Spearman’s rho. Of the five IPC elements (source-receiver, massages, channel, noise, and context), context and channel were found to be highly associated with uncertainty reduction. Context would be the physical dimension where mothers prefer to learn with and from their fellow mothers and from the Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) who serves as the Pabasa leader. Interpersonal channel, on the other hand, include personal presence and contact with the BNS and other participants, combined with the use of printed materials, aided the respondents’ uncertainty reduction. Type of participant, educational attainment, and age characteristics were seen to reduce uncertainty. Mothers with healthy kid, reached college, and young all registered a higher uncertainty reduction compared to other participants. Strategies in reducing uncertainty include interactive, active, and passive with interactive strategy as the most effective. In a passive strategy, individuals merely observe to gather clues about which behaviors are appropriate and the attitudes and beliefs that other hold. The active strategy involves seeking information from a third party while the interactive strategy is asking the source directly.