Dr. Christopher McKinley specializes in health communication and media effects. His research explores the role of narrative persuasion on health decision-making as well as factors motivating online health information seeking. Within these investigations, he explores how distinct psychosocial factors (i.e., self-efficacy, social support) interact with web use to predict health outcomes.

Selected Publications

McKinley, C. J., & Limbu, Y. B., Jayachandran, C. N. (2017). The Influence of Statistical versus Exemplar Appeals on Indian Adults’ Health Intentions: An Investigation of Direct Effects and Intervening Persuasion Processes. Health Communication, 32, 427-437.

McKinley, C. J., Luo, Y., & Wright, P., & Kraus, A. (2016). Problem gambling messages on college counseling center websites: An over-time and cross-country comparison. Journal of Gambling Studies, 32, 307-325.

McKinley, C. J., Luo, Y., & Wright, P., & Kraus, A. (2015). Re-examining LGBT Resources on College Counseling Center Websites: An Over-time and Cross-country Analysis. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 43, 112-129.

McKinley, C. J., & Ruppel, E. (2014). Exploring how perceived threat and self-efficacy

contribute to college students’ use and perceptions of online mental health resources. Computers in Human Behavior, 34, 101-109.

McKinley, C. J., & Wright, P. (2014). Informational support and online information seeking: Examining the association between factors contributing to healthy eating behavior. [R] Computers in Human Behavior, 37, 107-116.

McKinley, C. J. (2013). Re-examining the link between cultivation factors and viewer involvement: Investigating viewing amount as a catalyst for the transportation process. Communication Studies, 64, 66-85.

McKinley, C. J., & Wright, P. (2012). Examining the presence of problem gambling awareness messages on college counseling center websites. Health Communication, 27, 98-106.

Wright, P., & McKinley, C. J. (2011). Mental health resources for LGBT collegians: A content analysis of college counseling center websites. Journal of Homosexuality, 58, 138-147.

McKinley, C. J. (2009). Investigating the Influence of Threat Appraisals and Social Support on Healthy Eating Behavior and Drive for Thinness. Health Communication, 24, 735-745.