Predictors of protective behaviours during the Italian Covid-19 pandemic: an application of protection motivation theory

Abstract

Objective

The study investigated whether Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) constructs predicted recommended protective behaviours soon after the Italian lockdown and 1-year later.

Design

A three-wave longitudinal design was used. Three-hundred-fifty-two adults completed online questionnaires with PMT and intention measures assessed during the Italian lockdown (T1), and behaviour measures assessed after 1-month (T2) and 1-year (T3).

Outcome measures

Intentions to adopt behaviours (T1) and behaviour adherence at T2 and T3.

Results

From T2 to T3, participants reported less adoption of distance behaviours, but higher face masks use. In SEM models, self-efficacy and perceived severity were the strongest predictors of intentions to engage in protective behaviours. Intentions (β = 0.490, p < 0.001) and fear arousal (β = 0.134 p = 0.035) predicted protective behaviours at T2. Intentions (β = 0.302, p = 0.001) and perceived severity (β = 0.431, p < 0.001) predicted protective behaviours at T3.

Conclusion

To increase intentions, intervention should highlight the severity of getting infected and target perceptions of one’s ability to perform the protective behaviours. In addition, interventions should consider that at the beginning of the pandemic, fear predicted the adoption of preventive behaviours while perceived severity of the disease had a greater impact over time.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• protection motivation theory
• social distancing
• protective health behaviours
• behaviour change

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to all the participants who took part in the research and to Giorgia Fontana for her help in recalling the participants.

Data availability

Data supporting findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, Caterina Grano, upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This work was supported by a Sapienza University Grant (Bando di Ateneo 2020, Prot. RP120172B6F4BAE8) awarded to Caterina Grano.

Notes

1 Two interactive models considering two second-order factors (threat measured by severity, vulnerability, and fear and coping measured by self-efficacy, response efficacy, and response costs and appraisal) in the prediction of intention and behaviour at T2 and T3 were also tested. In both models, perceived vulnerability did not significantly load the threat factor, while the path between coping and intention was significant”.