Why people failed to adhere to COVID-19 preventive behaviors? Perspectives from an integrated behavior change model

According to the integrated model,5 individuals who are driven by controlled motivation (ie, acting due to external contingencies, internal pressure, or sense of ego) may adhere to the advisory behavior as soon as the external factors (eg, contingencies of following COVID-19 preventive behaviors or not) are present, but they are more vulnerable to nonadherence in the long term than those who hold autonomous motivation (ie, acting for inherent interest, satisfaction, personal goals, and values) for the action. In support to the psychological factors in the integrated model5, there are social situations or personal beliefs that facilitate autonomous motivation (eg, “preventing COVID-19 is what I want to do because I am responsible for my own health”), attitude (eg, accessible online information about the values of COVID-19 prevention), subjective norms (eg, family or friends who are following the COVID-19 preventive strategies say I should do the same), and perceived behavioral control (eg, training resources that make it easier for me to correctly apply COVID-19 preventive behavior such as hand hygiene). [...]the integrated model of self-determination theory and the theory of planned behavior explains why some individuals fail to adhere to the preventive behaviors of COVID-19.

Protecting children from COVID-19: examining U.S. parents motivation and behaviour using an integrated model of self-determination theory and the theory of planned behaviour.

OBJECTIVES: This longitudinal study applied the integrated model of self-determination theory (SDT) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to explain COVID-19 preventive behaviours among parents of young children in the United States. DESIGN: The study adopted a two-wave longitudinal study design. Parents (N = 681) completed self-report questionnaires related to measures of SDT and the TPB constructs and behavioural adherence at baseline and after one month. We used standardised residual change scores to test the structural relationships of the integrated model. RESULTS: The parameter estimates of the model (CFI > .96, TLI > .86, RMSEA = .05, SRMR = .03) fit acceptably well to the data. Psychological need support was positively and significantly linked to autonomous and controlled motivation and amotivation. Autonomous motivation was positively and significantly correlated with TPB factors, and intention. Intention was a significant and positive predictor of behavioural adherence. CONCLUSION: The integrated model of SDT and the TPB appeared to be applicable to the explanation of COVID-19 prevention among the U.S. parents. Longitudinal data showed that a psychological need supportive social environment was related to favourable motivation, social cognition beliefs, intention and behavioural adherence to the preventive behaviours of parents protecting their young children from COVID-19.