Key Social Norms Take-aways Social norms are multi-dimensional constructs that must be measured across distinct but related domains—descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and outcome expectations—to fully capture how they influence behavior. The study underscores that norms are not a single unified concept but operate through different pathways, including perceptions of what others do, what others approve of, and anticipated social rewards or sanctions. The discussion highlights that rigorous, validated measurement of these components is essential for understanding and evaluating the impact of entertainment-education interventions on behavior change, particularly in areas like family planning.

Objectives The study aimed to validate a quantitative measurement model for assessing social norms in the context of an entertainment-education (EE) intervention focused on family planning among married women in Zambia, and to confirm whether a previously identified factor structure holds across time.

Methods A quantitative study design was used, analyzing survey data collected from married Zambian women (ages 19–34) exposed to an EE radio program. Identical survey instruments were administered in 2019 (T1) and 2022 (T2). Social norms were measured using 24 items capturing outcome expectations, descriptive norms, and three distinct types of injunctive norms (e.g., approval from key individuals, peers, and community members). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to test competing models (one-factor, three-factor, and five-factor structures) and assess model fit using indices such as RMSEA, CFI, and SRMR.

Results The five-factor model demonstrated the best fit (RMSEA=0.053; CFI=0.973), confirming that social norms are best represented as a combination of distinct but related constructs. Descriptive norms, outcome expectations, and three separate injunctive norms factors showed strong and significant loadings, with acceptable to strong reliability across most constructs. Low to moderate inter-factor correlations indicated that while related, these dimensions capture different aspects of normative influence. The consistency of findings across time points suggests stability in the measurement structure.

Conclusions The study concludes that validated, multi-dimensional measurement of social norms is both feasible and necessary for evaluating EE interventions and broader health communication efforts. By demonstrating structural validity and stability of a five-factor model, the findings provide a standardized approach for measuring social norms across contexts. Strengthening measurement tools will enhance the ability of programs to assess normative change and improve intervention design and evaluation.