An Experimental COVID-19 Messaging Study in a Representative Sample of the Scottish Population: Increasing Physical Distancing Intentions Through Self-efficacy

Overview

Journal Br J Health Psychol

Specialty Psychology

Date 2022 Nov 1

PMID 36317412

Authors

Chantal den Daas

Marie Johnston

Gill Hubbard

Diane Dixon

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: Self-efficacy is important for adherence to transmission-reducing behaviours (e.g., physical distancing) as also shown in the CHARIS project. We aimed to show that a theory-based short message can increase physical distancing self-efficacy and intentions to keep physical distance.

Design: Structured telephone surveys with a randomly selected nationally representative sample of adults in Scotland (N = 497).

Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions: message condition (short message to increase self-efficacy via vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion and emotional arousal) or control condition (no message). Followed by measures for self-efficacy and intention for physical distancing on 4-point scales. Adherence to physical distancing was assessed on a 5-point frequency scale (never - always).

Results: Using mediation analyses with bootstrapping procedures, we first confirmed that self-efficacy was associated indirectly with adherence, via higher intentions in a partial mediation (unstandardized indirect effect .21, 95% CI .18-.25). The message increased self-efficacy; participants receiving the message reported higher self-efficacy (M = 4.23, SD = .80) compared to participants in the control condition (M = 4.08, SD = .77; standardized regression coefficient = .19, p < .05) and self-efficacy affected intention (.48, p < .001). There was a small significant indirect effect of the message on intention via self-efficacy (unstandardized indirect effect .07, CI .01-.14).

Conclusions: Increasing self-efficacy for physical distancing with a short message can successfully increase intention to physical distance via increased self-efficacy. As both self-efficacy and intentions are important predictors of adherence to transmission-reducing behaviours short messages have potential to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Citing Articles

Habits and Reflective Processes in COVID-19 Transmission-reducing Behaviors: Examining Theoretical Predictions in a Representative Sample of the Population of Scotland.

den Daas C, Dixon D, Hubbard G, Allan J, Johnston M Ann Behav Med. 2023; 57(11):910-920.

PMID: 37319346 PMC: 10578412. DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaad025.

An experimental COVID-19 messaging study in a representative sample of the Scottish population: Increasing physical distancing intentions through self-efficacy.

den Daas C, Johnston M, Hubbard G, Dixon D Br J Health Psychol. 2022; 28(2):439-450.

PMID: 36317412 PMC: 9878139. DOI: 10.1111/bjhp.12632.

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