Predicting pool safety habits and intentions of Australian parents and carers for their young children

Identifying the psychological correlates of parents' intentions to enroll their children in learn-to-swim lessons for the first time

INTRODUCTION

While enrollment in swimming lessons is associated with lower drowning risk in children, many parents do not enroll their children in formal lessons. To understand these decisions, the current research investigated the social cognition factors that drive parents' intentions to enroll their children for the first time.

METHODS

Using a mixed methods design, beliefs about enrolling one's child in swimming lessons were elicited in a sample of 22 Australian parents. A second sample of 323 then rated the extent to which they agree with each of these beliefs and completed measures of an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) model including autonomous motivation, risk perception, and role construction.

RESULTS

Results showed a range of behavioral, normative, and control beliefs to significantly predict intention to enroll. In the model, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, risk perception, and role construction all predicted intention to enroll. Autonomous motivation had an indirect effect on intention via the TPB constructs.

CONCLUSIONS

Targeting beliefs that non-enrollment places a child at risk, that enrollment is under a parent's control, that others would want parents to enroll their child, and that it is the responsibility as a parent to enroll their child may be viable messages for intervention.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Current results signpost several potential belief-based targets for interventions encouraging enrollment in swimming lessons. However, as qualitative data also indicated structural barriers to enrolment, such strategies should be paired with attempts to ensure swimming lessons are affordable and accessible to the wider population.

A qualitative analysis of parents' beliefs about portable pool safety behaviours

The aim of this study was to develop an in-depth understanding of the beliefs parents hold regarding portable pool safety behaviours using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents (N = 15) of children aged 5 years and younger who owned a portable pool. Interviews examined three key safety behaviours: supervising within arms' reach, fencing portable pools deeper than 30 cm, and emptying and storing portable pools safely after use. Parents identified a range of advantages, disadvantages, normative influences, and facilitators and barriers towards the three behaviours. The identification of these salient behavioural, normative, and control beliefs enrich limited understandings of portable pool safety behaviours of parents with young children. Current findings fill a knowledge gap in portable pool safety and provide potential targets for messages to improve parents' behaviours for their young children around portable pools in the hope of preventing loss of life.

Understanding Parental Adherence to Early Childhood Domestic Injury Prevention: A Cross-Cultural Test of the Integrated Behavior-Change Model

Unintentional injuries pose a significant risk to children in early years globally. In particular, toddlers and preschoolers are vulnerable to injuries that occur at home. Despite the availability of preventive measures that can greatly reduce the risks of domestic injuries, some caregivers (e.g., parents) of children in early childhood may not fully implement these safety measures due to poor behavioral adherence or low awareness of the risk of domestic injury. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how caregivers in different cultural contexts approach injury prevention in the home environment. In this multi-cultural study, we investigated the motivational and belief processes underlying childhood domestic injury prevention among a total of 2059 primary caregivers (parents/guardians) of infant and toddlers (aged 2 to 6 years) across four societies, Australia (AU; N = 500), the United States (US; N = 500), Singapore (SG; N = 507), and Hong Kong (HK; N = 552), by applying the integrated model of self-determination theory (SDT) and theory of planned behavior (TPB). Our results support the key tenets of the integrated model and demonstrated cultural invariance model pathways across the four societies studied. In particular, the positive relationships among psychological need support, autonomous motivation, socio-cognitive beliefs, intention, and behavior adherence remained constant across societies. With a multi-cultural sample, this study provides valuable insights into the similarities and differences in motivation and beliefs surrounding childhood domestic injury prevention across these four societies.

Application of an integrated behaviour-change model on grandparental adherence towards childhood domestic injury prevention in Hong Kong: a longitudinal study

Background/purpose

Every year, unintentional injury claims thousands of children's lives and causes disabilities in many more. For very young children, these injuries often occur at home. The risks of domestic injury can be reduced through proper implementation of injury preventive measures. In this study, we investigated the motivational and belief processes underlying childhood domestic injury prevention in grandparent caregivers based on the integrated model of self-determination theory and theory of planned behaviour.

Method

Grandparents (n=299, mean age=62.61 years, SD=5.91, men=20.07%) of 0-2-year-old infants and toddlers self-reported their perceived psychological need support, autonomous motivation, perceived behavioural control (PBC), subjective norms, attitude, intention and adherence with regard to domestic injury prevention for their children at two time points (T1: baseline, T2: 4-month follow-up).

Results/outcomes

Data were analysed with structural equation modelling, and the proposed model yielded an acceptable fit with the data: χ2=905.09 (df=531), Comparative Fit Index=0.94, Tucker-Lewis Index=0.93, root mean square error of approximation=0.05 and standardised root mean square residual=0.078. Our results supported our hypothesis, demonstrating significant and positive associations between the following key constructs: (1) psychological need support from family and autonomous motivation; (2) autonomous motivation and social-cognitive beliefs; (3) social-cognitive beliefs and intentions; and (4) intention and behavioural adherence. Subjective norms and PBC, but not attitudes, were also found to significantly mediate the indirect effects of psychological need support and autonomous motivation on intention and behavioural adherence.

Conclusions

Overall, the integrated model seems to be a feasible framework for explaining grandparents' domestic injury prevention behaviour.

Research on Unsafe Behavior of Construction Workers Under the Bidirectional Effect of Formal Rule Awareness and Conformity Mentality

At present, China's engineering safety management has developed to a certain level, but the number of casualties caused by construction accidents is still increasing in recent years, and the safety problems in the construction industry are still worrying. For purpose of effectively reducing construction workers' unsafe behavior and improve the efficiency of construction safety management, based on multi-agent modeling, this paper analyzes the influencing factors during construction workers' cognitive process from the perspective of safety cognition, constructs the interaction and cognition of the agent under the bidirectional effect of formal rule awareness and conformity mentality model, and set behavior rules and parameters through the Net Logo platform for simulation. The results show that: Unsafe behavior of construction workers is related to the failure of cognitive process, and the role of workers' psychology and consciousness will affect the cognitive process; The higher the level of conformity intention of construction workers, the easier it is to increase the unsafe behavior of the group; Formal rule awareness can play a greater role only when the management standard is at a high level, and can correct the workers' safety cognition and effectively correct the workers' unsafe behavior; Under certain construction site environmental risks, the interaction between formal rule awareness and conformity mentality in an appropriate range is conducive to the realization of construction project life cycle management. This study has certain theoretical and practical significance for in-depth understanding of safety cognition and reducing unsafe behavior of construction team.

Investigation of the Effect of Education Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior on the Mothers’ Preventive Practices Regarding Toddler Home Injuries

Home injuries are among the causes of death and disability in toddlers. Preventing home injuries is an essential part of the child health care program. Using education-based models interventions can promote mothers’ practices regarding home injuries. This study aimed to investigate the effect of education based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) on the mothers’ preventive practices regarding toddler home injuries. A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 116 mothers referred to comprehensive health centers (58 mothers in each experimental and control group), who were selected using the cluster sampling method. Data were collected using a researcher-developed TPB questionnaire, which was validated by I-CVI (≥0.78), and CVR (≥0.79). Its reliability also confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficients (.52-.93). Afterward, educational intervention was implemented in the experimental group based on TPB in four 45 to 60 minute sessions. After 2 months, the data were recollected from the two groups and analyzed using SPSS software version 16. Comparing the scores of TPB constructs (i.e., perceived behavioral control, behavioral intention, and subjective norms), and mothers’ preventive practices regarding toddler home injuries revealed no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups pre-intervention. However, after the intervention, significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in terms of awareness, the TPB constructs (except for subjective norms), and preventive practices of the mothers ( p < .001). Mothers’ preventive practices regarding toddler home injuries were improved after applying TPB; hence, it is suggested a larger study be completed to confirm the results of this theory-based education.

Integration of Theory of Planned Behavior, Sensation Seeking, and Risk Perception to Explain the Risky Driving Behavior of Truck Drivers

Truck-related accidents account for a substantial portion of traffic accidents. Risky driving behavior is a main cause of traffic accidents. Understanding the risky driving behavior of truck drivers is therefore important in reducing truck-related accidents. This study aimed to propose and validate a research model that integrated a theory of planned behavior, sensation seeking, and risk perception to explain the risky driving behavior of truck drivers. A total of 471 valid data were collected from Chinese truck drivers in this study. Structural equation modeling and mediation analysis were used to examine the influence of factors in the research model on the risky driving behavior of truck drivers. Results showed that sensation seeking and risk perception of truck drivers were influential in shaping their intention to drive riskily with the mediation of attitude toward risky driving. Risk perception and attitude toward risky driving also had a negative influence and positive influence on the intention, respectively. On the basis of the findings, practical recommendations for reducing the risky driving behavior of truck drivers were provided for concerned parties.

Social-cognitive predictors of parental supervised toothbrushing: An application of the health action process approach

BACKGROUND

We examined the social cognition determinants of parental supervised toothbrushing guided by the health action process approach (HAPA).

METHODS

In a prospective correlational survey study, participants (N = 185, 84.3% women) completed HAPA social cognition constructs at an initial time point (T1), and 12 weeks later (T2) self-reported on their parental supervised toothbrushing behaviour, toothbrushing habit, and action control.

RESULTS

Structural equation models exhibited adequate fit with the data when past behaviour and habit were either excluded or included. Intention, self-efficacy, planning, and action control were predictors of parental supervised toothbrushing; intention predicted action planning and coping planning; and self-efficacy and attitude were predictors of intention. Indirect effects of social cognition constructs through intentions, and intentions through planning constructs were also observed. Inclusion of past behaviour and habit attenuated model effects.

CONCLUSION

Results indicate that parental supervised toothbrushing is a function of motivational and volitional processes. This knowledge can be used to inform behaviour change interventions targeting parental supervised toothbrushing.

Effects of socio-structural variables in the theory of planned behavior: a mediation model in multiple samples and behaviors

Objective: Observed variation in health behavior may be attributable to socio-structural variables that represent inequality. We tested the hypothesis that variability related to socio-structural variables may be linked to variation in social cognition determinants of health behavior. A proposed model in which effects of socio-structural variables (age, education level, gender, income) on health behavior participation was mediated by social cognition constructs was tested. Design: Model effects were tested in correlational datasets (k = 13) in different health behaviors, populations, and contexts. Samples included self-report measures of age, highest attained education level, gender, and net household income, and constructs from the theory of planned behavior (attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intention). Ten samples provided follow-up self-reports of health behavior. Results: Path analyses supported sample-specific indirect effects of gender and age on health behavior with comparatively few income and education level effects. Meta-analytic structural equation modeling indicated consistent indirect and total effects of gender on intentions and health behavior through social cognition constructs, and a total effect of education level on behavior. Conclusion: Results provide support for the proposed mechanism by which socio-structural variables relate to health behavior. Replication in larger samples and meta-analytic synthesis across multiple health behavior studies is warranted.