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

Chantal den Daas; Marie Johnston; Gill Hubbard; Diane Dixon; Mioara Cristea; Alive Davis; Fiona Dobbie; Niamh Fitzgerald; Leanne Fleming; Barbara Fraquharson; Trish Gorely; Cindy Gray; Mark Grindle; Eileen Harkess-Murphy; Kate Hunt; Robin Ion; Lisa Kidd; Terry Lansdown; Leah Macaden; Wendy Maltinsky; Stewart Mercer; Peter Murchie; Ronan O'Carroll; Kate O'Donnell; Gozde Ozakinci; Amanda Pitkethly; Kate Reid; Dina Sidhva; Martine Stead; Mary E. Stewart; Debbie Tolson; Catharine Ward Thompson; Sally Wyke

doi:10.1111/bjhp.12632

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

Chantal den Daas^*, Marie Johnston, Gill Hubbard, Diane Dixon, Mioara Cristea, Alive Davis, Fiona Dobbie, Niamh Fitzgerald, Leanne Fleming, Barbara Fraquharson, Trish Gorely, Cindy Gray, Mark Grindle, Eileen Harkess-Murphy, Kate Hunt, Robin Ion, Lisa Kidd, Terry Lansdown, Leah Macaden, Wendy MaltinskyStewart Mercer, Peter Murchie, Ronan O'Carroll, Kate O'Donnell, Gozde Ozakinci, Amanda Pitkethly, Kate Reid, Dina Sidhva, Martine Stead, Mary E. Stewart, Debbie Tolson, Catharine Ward Thompson, Sally Wyke

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	439-450
Number of pages	12
Journal	British Journal of Health Psychology
Volume	28
Issue number	2
Early online date	1 Jun 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12632
Publication status	Published - 31 May 2023

Funding

We are grateful to all the participants of the Scottish Health Council (SHC) Public Engagement Group and the NHS Research Scotland Primary Care Patient and Public Involvement. CHARIS was funded via a grant from the Chief Scientist Office, Edinburgh (COV/ABN/20/07).

Keywords

adherence
COVID-19
intentions
messaging
physical distancing
self-efficacy

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10.1111/bjhp.12632Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0

Daas-etal-BJHP-2022-An-experimental-COVID-19-messaging-studyFinal published version, 257 KBLicence: CC BY-NC 4.0

Cite this

den Daas, C., Johnston, M., Hubbard, G., Dixon, D., Cristea, M., Davis, A., Dobbie, F., Fitzgerald, N., Fleming, L., Fraquharson, B., Gorely, T., Gray, C., Grindle, M., Harkess-Murphy, E., Hunt, K., Ion, R., Kidd, L., Lansdown, T., Macaden, L., ... Wyke, S. (2023). An experimental COVID-19 messaging study in a representative sample of the Scottish population: Increasing physical distancing intentions through self-efficacy. British Journal of Health Psychology, 28(2), 439-450. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12632

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

abstract = "ObjectivesSelf-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.DesignStructured telephone surveys with a randomly selected nationally representative sample of adults in Scotland (N = 497).MethodsParticipants 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).ResultsUsing 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).ConclusionsIncreasing 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.",

keywords = "adherence, COVID-19, intentions, messaging, physical distancing, self-efficacy",

author = "{den Daas}, Chantal and Marie Johnston and Gill Hubbard and Diane Dixon and Mioara Cristea and Alive Davis and Fiona Dobbie and Niamh Fitzgerald and Leanne Fleming and Barbara Fraquharson and Trish Gorely and Cindy Gray and Mark Grindle and Eileen Harkess-Murphy and Kate Hunt and Robin Ion and Lisa Kidd and Terry Lansdown and Leah Macaden and Wendy Maltinsky and Stewart Mercer and Peter Murchie and Ronan O'Carroll and Kate O'Donnell and Gozde Ozakinci and Amanda Pitkethly and Kate Reid and Dina Sidhva and Martine Stead and Stewart, {Mary E.} and Debbie Tolson and Thompson, {Catharine Ward} and Sally Wyke",

year = "2023",

month = may,

day = "31",

doi = "10.1111/bjhp.12632",

language = "English",

volume = "28",

pages = "439--450",

journal = "British Journal of Health Psychology",

issn = "1359-107X",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "2",

}

den Daas, C, Johnston, M, Hubbard, G, Dixon, D, Cristea, M, Davis, A, Dobbie, F, Fitzgerald, N, Fleming, L, Fraquharson, B, Gorely, T, Gray, C, Grindle, M, Harkess-Murphy, E, Hunt, K, Ion, R, Kidd, L, Lansdown, T, Macaden, L, Maltinsky, W, Mercer, S, Murchie, P, O'Carroll, R, O'Donnell, K, Ozakinci, G, Pitkethly, A, Reid, K, Sidhva, D, Stead, M, Stewart, ME, Tolson, D, Thompson, CW & Wyke, S 2023, 'An experimental COVID-19 messaging study in a representative sample of the Scottish population: Increasing physical distancing intentions through self-efficacy', British Journal of Health Psychology, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 439-450. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12632

TY - JOUR

T1 - An experimental COVID-19 messaging study in a representative sample of the Scottish population

T2 - Increasing physical distancing intentions through self-efficacy

AU - den Daas, Chantal

AU - Johnston, Marie

AU - Hubbard, Gill

AU - Dixon, Diane

AU - Cristea, Mioara

AU - Davis, Alive

AU - Dobbie, Fiona

AU - Fitzgerald, Niamh

AU - Fleming, Leanne

AU - Fraquharson, Barbara

AU - Gorely, Trish

AU - Gray, Cindy

AU - Grindle, Mark

AU - Harkess-Murphy, Eileen

AU - Hunt, Kate

AU - Ion, Robin

AU - Kidd, Lisa

AU - Lansdown, Terry

AU - Macaden, Leah

AU - Maltinsky, Wendy

AU - Mercer, Stewart

AU - Murchie, Peter

AU - O'Carroll, Ronan

AU - O'Donnell, Kate

AU - Ozakinci, Gozde

AU - Pitkethly, Amanda

AU - Reid, Kate

AU - Sidhva, Dina

AU - Stead, Martine

AU - Stewart, Mary E.

AU - Tolson, Debbie

AU - Thompson, Catharine Ward

AU - Wyke, Sally

PY - 2023/5/31

Y1 - 2023/5/31

N2 - ObjectivesSelf-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.DesignStructured telephone surveys with a randomly selected nationally representative sample of adults in Scotland (N = 497).MethodsParticipants 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).ResultsUsing 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).ConclusionsIncreasing 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.

AB - ObjectivesSelf-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.DesignStructured telephone surveys with a randomly selected nationally representative sample of adults in Scotland (N = 497).MethodsParticipants 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).ResultsUsing 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).ConclusionsIncreasing 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.

KW - adherence

KW - COVID-19

KW - intentions

KW - messaging

KW - physical distancing

KW - self-efficacy

U2 - 10.1111/bjhp.12632

DO - 10.1111/bjhp.12632

M3 - Article

C2 - 36317412

AN - SCOPUS:85141222951

SN - 1359-107X

VL - 28

SP - 439

EP - 450

JO - British Journal of Health Psychology

JF - British Journal of Health Psychology

IS - 2

ER -

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

Abstract

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Keywords

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