Predictors of parental behavioral intentions for vaccinating their children against COVID-19 as determined by the modified theory of planned behavior

Abstract

Purpose: This study attempted to present a strategy to increase behavioral vaccination intention by identifying factors affecting parents’ intention to have their children vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by applying the modified theory of planned behavior.Methods: An online survey was conducted with 146 parents of children aged 5 to 17 from August 1 to 30, 2022, and, as a result, 146 data were analyzed. The moderating effect of perceived behavioral control in the relationship between parents’ attitude, subjective norms, and behavioral intention for children’s COVID-19 vaccination was analyzed using the Process Macro (10,000 bootstrapping, 95% confidence interval), and a simple slope analysis was performed to identify differences by group.Results: The moderating effect of perceived behavioral control was statistically significant in the relationship between parent’s attitude and subjective norms for COVID-19 vaccination and behavioral intention. In the simple slope analysis, the reinforcement effect was greatest when the level of perceived behavioral control was high.Conclusion: Since vaccination is most likely when recommended by healthcare providers, it is necessary to ensure that health education through community health experts or mass media can be effectively conducted. In particular, objective information on the effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccinations for children, including monitoring of potential side-effects, should be actively reported.