Roles of self-esteem and socioeconomic status in COVID-19 preventive behaviors

ABSTRACT

This study applied terror management theory to investigate whether self-esteem and socioeconomic status (i.e., income and education) predict coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention behavior. Data collection in this cross-sectional and analytical study was performed by an online survey of 1012 participants. In participants with high self-esteem, mortality salience was high when the perceived threat of COVID-19 was high whereas mortality salience was low when perceived efficacy was high. In contrast, mortality salience was not significantly associated with COVID-19 prevention behaviors in participants with high self-esteem. In people with low self-esteem, mortality salience was high when the perceived threat of COVID-19 was high, but mortality salience was not significantly associated with perceived efficacy. Moreover, mortality salience was significantly associated with COVID-19 prevention behaviors in people with low self-esteem. Both income and education had significant positive associations with COVID-19 prevention behaviors in all participants regardless of self-esteem level. The findings revealed that perceived threat and perceived efficacy mediate the effects of self-esteem on mortality salience and on COVID-19 prevention behaviors. We discuss how these findings improve understanding of COVID-19 prevention behaviors and how they can be used to encourage these behaviors during an outbreak.