(PS6-B31) Application of the Extended Parallel Process Model to Use of Social Distancing

Improving adherence to recommended health behaviors is critical to containing the spread of COVID-19. One framework used to predict compliance with health advice is the extended parallel process model (EPPM), which considers: the perceived (1) susceptibility to and (2) severity of a negative health outcome, and (3) perceived efficacy of protective behaviors (response efficacy). Preliminary evidence supports the application of the EPPM using general measures of compliance with health advice during the COVID-19 pandemic, though it has not yet been applied it to specific social distancing behaviors.

Online cross-sectional self-report data were collected from April-June 2020 from two US adult samples: nationally from Amazon’s MTurk (n=477) and New Jersey (NJ) residents (n=121; outbreak hot spot at the time). EPPM factors included perceived susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19, and response efficacy of social distancing behaviors (avoidance of travel, eating out, small group gatherings, and going outside). Compliance (0=No, 1=Yes) with the social distancing behaviors were the criterion variables. Four logistic regression models were conducted where EPPM factors were simultaneously entered in relation to the likelihood of compliance with each social distancing behavior, controlling for age.

In the national sample, lower perceived susceptibility (travel, eating out: ORs=0.81-0.82, p< .001), higher perceived severity (going outside: OR=1.14, p=.006), and higher perceived response efficacy (travel, eating out, gatherings, going outside: ORs=1.80-2.12, p< .001) were associated with increased odds of engaging in social distancing behaviors. In the NJ sample, however, a higher likelihood of compliance with social distancing measures was associated with higher perceived susceptibility (travel: OR=1.33, p=.046), but not with perceived severity. Similar to the national sample, higher response efficacy was related to increased likelihood of compliance (eating out, travel: ORs=1.59-1.64, p< .05).

The EPPM may only partially explain compliance with certain social distancing behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as notable discrepancies from expected relationships were found. Response efficacy of the behavior emerged as the most consistent factor in social distancing compliance across samples. Although more work is needed in this arena, public health messaging campaigns focused on the efficacy of various social distancing behaviors may be effective in increasing compliance with essential infection control behaviors.