An application of the extended parallel process model to protective behaviors against COVID-19 in South Korea

This study applied the extended parallel process model (EPPM) to investigate the factors affecting people’s preventive behaviors against COVID-19, and thereby, draw relevant policy implications for current and future other epidemics. The EPPM was used to examine the danger control and fear control responses, along with the separate effects of their sub-factors (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, response efficacy, and self-efficacy) on personal hygiene behaviors, social distancing measures, and fatalism. In total, data from an online survey of 813 adults were analyzed. The results of multiple regression analysis showed a strong effect of self-efficacy on danger control (ß = 0.23 for personal hygiene behaviors, β = 0.26 for social distancing) and fear control responses (ß = -0.13 for fatalism). However, based on the type of control response, the effect of perceived susceptibility and perceived severity, which were the main factors in threat appraisal, was insignificant or marginally significant. Further, a higher perceived severity was associated with higher fatalism in the fear control response (ß = 0.09). Those who were currently employed performed fewer social distancing measures compared to those who did not (ß = -0.11), whereas there was no difference in personal hygiene behaviors. These results suggest that risk communication in emerging infectious disease crises should provide customized information on people who are hard to comply with social distancing. Besides delivering the message of self-efficacy, policies should be implemented to create a social environment in which individuals can practice social distancing without constraints.