Basic psychological needs, quality of motivation, and protective behavior intentions : a nationally representative survey study

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Volume Title

A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä

Date

2023-09-25

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Mcode

Degree programme

Language

en

Pages

11
1-11

Series

Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Volume 11, issue 1

Abstract

Objective: Building on the Self-Determination Theory, this study examines how basic psychological need satisfaction related to COVID-19 behavioral measures is associated with motivation quality and whether motivation quality is associated with intention to wear a face mask and to avoid meeting others. Methods: Cross-sectional survey study involving a nationally representative sample of Finnish adult population aged 18–79 (N = 2272, M age = 48.63, SD = 16.89, 975 men and 1297 women) was conducted in Finland in May 2021 when protective behaviors were recommended to prevent acceleration of the epidemic. Measures included scales of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction in Adhering to COVID Prevention Measures, Motivation to Adhere to COVID Prevention Measures, Perceived Personal Risk, Fear of COVID-19, and Protective Behavior Intention. Analysis of variance tests, linear regression analysis, and multinomial logistic regression were conducted. Perceived personal risk and fear of COVID-19 were controlled for in theregression analyses. Results: All three psychological needs were positively related to autonomous motivation (all p <.001). Autonomous motivation (range OR = 1.82–3.55, p =.001) was consistently related to intention to wear a mask and intention to avoid meeting people. Controlled motivation (range OR =.66–.93, p =.001–.457) was associated with decreased protective behavior intentions. The effects of amotivation (range OR =.65–1.02, p =.001–.911) varied across analyses. Conclusions: Fostering autonomous motivation could increase adherence to protective behaviors in situations without clear mandates.

Description

Funding Information: This work was supported by the Academy of Finland under Grant 346702. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Keywords

autonomous motivation, behavioral intention, COVID-19, protective behaviors, self-determination theory

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Citation

Pietilä , M , Saurio , K , Martela , F , Silfver , M & Hankonen , N 2023 , ' Basic psychological needs, quality of motivation, and protective behavior intentions : a nationally representative survey study ' , Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine , vol. 11 , no. 1 , 2257295 , pp. 1-11 . https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2023.2257295