COVID-19 fear mediates the relationship between perceived risk and preventive behaviors: the moderating role of perceived effectiveness

Abstract

Objective

To investigate COVID-19 perceived risk and fear as predictors of preventive behaviors among young adult undergraduates, guided by the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM).

Design

Participants (N = 174;M_age = 21.94, SD = 3.24; 62% Hispanic, 79% women) were recruited from a large public university in Southern California and completed measures at two timepoints over a three-month period.

Main outcome measures

Participants self-reported COVID-19 risk, fear, preventive behaviors, and perceived effectiveness.

Results

Asymptotic moderated mediation indicated that COVID-19 fear fully mediated the association between perceived risk and preventive behaviors. Greater COVID-19 perceived risk was associated with more fear and, in turn, the engagement in more COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Furthermore, in partial support of the EPPM, participants’ perceived effectiveness of preventive behaviors moderated the relationship between fear and preventive behaviors where a significant conditional effect was found among only participants endorsing low levels of perceived effectiveness of preventive behaviors.

Conclusion

This study offers important implications for future health communication strategies by providing a network of associations that either attenuate or promote the engagement in risk-reducing preventive behaviors among young adult undergraduates. Findings highlight the importance of augmenting undergraduate knowledge on health promotion and illness prevention strategies.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• COVID-19 fear
• Preventive behaviors
• Extended parallel process model

Author contribution

Study concept and design: Serpas & Ignacio. Data collection: Ignacio & Serpas. Analysis and interpretation of data: Serpas. Drafting and critical revision of the manuscript: Serpas, & Ignacio. Authors provided approval of the version to be published.

Data Availability statement

Data available upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

None.

Funding

The authors reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.