Personal protective behaviors in response to COVID-19: a longitudinal application of protection motivation theory

Frontiers in Psychology

Psychology

Marina Hinssen¹  Simone Dohle² 

[1] Gender in Medicine, Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany;Social Cognition Center Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany;Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany;

关键词: COVID-19;    pandemic;    protective behaviors;    protection motivation theory;    self-efficacy;    hand hygiene;    physical distancing;    mask wearing;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1195607

 received in 2023-03-28, accepted in 2023-07-17,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

IntroductionDisease outbreaks are expected to occur more frequently and spread more rapidly in the age of globalization. Personal protective behaviors strongly affect infection and death rates worldwide. It is therefore of prime importance to better understand which factors predict personal protective behaviors during a pandemic. Protection motivation theory (PMT) proposes that people’s motivation to protect themselves is based on two appraisal processes: threat appraisal and coping appraisal. Building on PMT, this longitudinal study aimed to predict personal protective behaviors in response to COVID-19, including hand hygiene, physical distancing, and mask wearing.MethodIn the first wave of the study (November, 2020), the two appraisal processes as specified in PMT as well as intentions to perform protective behaviors were assessed in a representative sample of German adults (N = 328). In the second wave of this study, which was conducted one month later, the frequency of protective behaviors was measured. Structural equation modeling was used to test whether threat and coping appraisal predicted intentions and protective behaviors.ResultsResponse rate for the second wave was high (87%). For all three behaviors, self-efficacy predicted intentions and also indirectly behavior (i.e., mediated via intentions). Furthermore, exploratory tests of alternative theoretical models suggested that both self-efficacy and costs have direct effects (i.e., independent from their relationship with intentions) on performed behavior.ConclusionTo support individuals to engage in protective behaviors during a pandemic, it is important to reduce barriers to action and to foster individuals’ self-efficacy.

【 授权许可】

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Copyright © 2023 Hinssen and Dohle.