Predictors of Staying at Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Lockdown based on Protection Motivation Theory: A Cross-Sectional Study in Japan

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a social lockdown should be put in place and individuals should stay at home. Behavioral change is the only way to prevent the pandemic and overwhelmed healthcare systems until vaccines are available. We aimed to examine the psychological factors that predict staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and social lockdown. A total of 1980 participants in Japan completed a survey for this study from 9 to 11 May 2020, when the state of emergency covered all prefectures in the country. Self-reported behavior in terms of staying at home, the perceived severity of the pandemic, vulnerability to the pandemic, response efficacy, and self-efficacy based on protection motivation theory were assessed. Multiple regression analysis showed that perceived severity (standardized β = 0.11, p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (standardized β = 0.32, p < 0.001) significantly predicted greater levels of staying at home, after controlling for socio-demographics. However, perceived vulnerability and response efficacy did not. To encourage people to stay at home during the pandemic and social lockdown, increasing the perceived severity of infection by COVID-19 and self-efficacy in terms of exercising restraint with respect to going out may consequently encourage people to stay at home.