Predicting Elementary School Teachers' Intentions to Teach Health Education: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

This study used the theory of planned behavior to examine and predict elementary school teachers' intentions to teach health education. The theory's constructs provided the framework for the examination of teachers' attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control regarding health education. A sample of 181 elementary school teachers employed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts completed self-administered questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict their intentions to teach health education. The variables of the theory of planned behavior explained 52.3% of the variance in teachers' intentions; perceived behavioral control contributed the greatest weight to the prediction.