Antecedents of Risk Perception and Compliance With Public Health Guidance During COVID-19–Model Questionnaire

Abstract

The Antecedents of Risk Perception and Compliance With Public Health Guidance During COVID-19—Model Questionnaire (Kim, Lee, & Dai, 2023) is a psychometric tool designed to investigate the causal pathways linking exposure to misinformation and subsequent public health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scale specifically measures how consuming inaccurate information predicts shifts in public trust toward health and political institutions.

These shifts, in turn, mediate the relationship between misinformation exposure and risk perception, ultimately determining the public’s adherence to preventive behaviors. The 28-item model was validated using data collected from a sample of US adults, providing a robust foundation for understanding the behavioral dynamics of public health compliance in crisis situations.

Keywords

COVID-19 Misinformation Exposure, Trust in Public Health Experts, Trust in Government, Perceived Severity, Compliance with Public Health Guidance, Risk Perception, Health Attitude Measures, Misinformation, Public Health Compliance, COVID-19 pandemic.

Authors

Kim, Ji Won, Lee, Jiyoung, Dai, Yue

Purpose

The primary purpose of this measurement model is to systematically assess the complex interplay between exposure to misinformation and resulting behavioral responses within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It functions as a comprehensive instrument charting the sequential influence of inaccurate information consumption on public attitudes and actions.

Specifically, the instrument aims to quantify the degree to which misinformation erodes public trust in key institutions, including governmental bodies and public health authorities. This erosion of trust is hypothesized to be a critical antecedent that subsequently shapes an individual’s risk perception regarding the virus and, consequently, their level of compliance with mandated public health guidance and preventive measures.

Construct

The model measures a multi-factor structure comprising five distinct psychological and behavioral constructs critical to understanding crisis communication and health compliance. The core constructs include COVID-19 Misinformation Exposure, Trust in Public Health Experts, Trust in Government, Perceived Severity of the disease, and Compliance with Public Health Guidance.

This structure allows researchers to analyze the path model, demonstrating how external factors (misinformation) influence internal psychological states (trust and perceived severity), which then drive observable behaviors (compliance) during a global health crisis. The items for these constructs were either adapted from established literature (Lang & Hallman, 2005; Witte et al., 1996) or selected through pilot testing.

Validity

The psychometric properties of the measurement model confirm strong validity across its constituent constructs, with both convergent validity and discriminant validity successfully established in the validation study (Kim, Lee, & Dai, 2023).

For convergent validity, the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) values for all constructs met or exceeded the recommended threshold of 0.50. Furthermore, the high Composite Reliability (CR) values, ranging from 0.80 to 0.99, further support the acceptable level of convergent validity, aligning with guidelines established by Hair et al. (2010). Discriminant validity was confirmed by ensuring that the AVE value for each construct was significantly greater than the squared correlations between that construct and all other latent constructs in the model, confirming the distinct nature of each factor.

Reliability

The reliability of the scale was assessed through measures of internal consistency. The Composite Reliability (CR) values obtained for the various latent constructs demonstrated a consistently high level of reliability, ranging from 0.80 to 0.99 across the entire measurement model.

These robust CR values indicate that the items loading onto each specific construct are highly interrelated and consistently measure the intended underlying psychological concepts, ensuring stable and dependable results when the instrument is applied in future research.

Factor Analysis

A rigorous Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed to evaluate the fit of the hypothesized five-factor measurement model. The resulting fit indices strongly support the adequacy of the model in representing the relationships among the observed variables and latent constructs.

The key fit indices reported were: χ² = 1533.373 (df = 336), CFI = 0.967, TLI = 0.963, RMSEA = 0.050, and SRMR = 0.045. These values suggest an excellent fit to the data, as the RMSEA and SRMR fall well below the standard cutoff of 0.08, and the CFI/TLI exceed the typical standard of 0.95, confirming that the measurement model is statistically sound.

Instrument

Test Type: Original Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: Items are rated using a combination of 5-point and 7-point Likert scales.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human (Male and Female)

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years and older)

Population Details: The study respondents were adults located in the United States.

Test Methodology: Test Validity (Convergent Validity, Discriminant Validity), Test Reliability (Internal Consistency), and Factor Analysis (Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Measurement Model).

Keywords

Public Health Guidance During COVID-19, Risk Perceptions, Public Health Compliance, Misinformation Exposure, Trust in Public Health Experts, Trust in Government, Perceived Severity.

Authors

Kim, Ji Won

• Author ORCID Identifier: 0000-0001-6680-2258

• Affiliation Email addresses: City University of Hong Kong, Department of Media and Communication; [email protected]

• Correspondence Address: City University of Hong Kong, Department of Media and Communication, 5/F, Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre, 18 Tat Hong Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China, M5085, [email protected]

Lee, Jiyoung

• Author ORCID Identifier: 0000-0002-0800-9355

• Affiliation Email addresses: Sungkyunkwan University, Department of Media and Communication; No data is Available

Dai, Yue

• Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

• Affiliation Email addresses: City University of Hong Kong, Department of Media and Communication; No data is Available

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Publisher

Fee: No

Test Year: 2023

Reference’s

Kim, J. W., Lee, J., & Dai, Y. (2023). Misinformation and the Paradox of Trust during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.: Pathways to Risk perception and compliance behaviors. Journal of Risk Research, 26(5), 469–484. doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2023.2176910

Items of the Antecedents of Risk Perception and Compliance With Public Health Guidance During COVID-19–Model Questionnaire

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

This is a 28-item measure. The items are located in Table 2, Page 479 of the source reference (Kim, Lee, & Dai, 2023). The items are organized into the following factors:

• COVID-19 misinformation exposure

• Trust in public health experts

• Trust in government

• Perceived severity

• Compliance with public health guidance

Antecedents of Risk Perception and Compliance With Public Health Guidance During COVID-19—Model

Items for each construct

Covid-19 misinformation exposure

1. The US hospitals are inflating the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths so they can be paid more.

2. 99% of COVID-19 cases are harmless.

3. Mask wearing is more harmful to health because it reduces oxygen intake and increases the risk of CO2 poisoning.

4. Hydroxychloroquine is proven to treat COVID-19.

Trust in public health experts

1. Public health experts are competent enough to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Public health experts are doing a good job with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. Public health experts provide all relevant information about the COVID-19 pandemic to the public.

4. Public health experts are acting in the public interest with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. Public health experts listen to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic raised by the public.

6. Public health experts are telling the truth regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trust in government

1. The government is competent enough to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. The government is doing a good job with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. The government provides all relevant information about the COVID-19 pandemic to the public.

4. The government is acting in the public interest with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. The government listens to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic raised by the public.

6. The government is telling the truth regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perceived severity

1. I believe that COVID-19 is a deadly disease.

2. I believe that COVID-19 causes serious health problems.

3. I believe that COVID-19 is a fatal virus.

Compliance with public health guidance

1. Stay home and only leave your house for essential journeys.

2. If you do go out, stay 6 feet apart from other people at all times.

3. Avoid going to crowded places, such as bars and restaurants.

4. Avoid meetings, events, and other social gatherings.

5. Wash your hands with soap and water often for at least 20 seconds.

6. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

7. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

8. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and then, throw the used tissue in the trash.

9. Wear a face covering or face mask while you are being outside.

Note

COVID-19 misinformation exposure items are measured on a 5-point scale (1 = not at all, 5 = a lot); Trust in public health experts, Trust in government, and Perceived severity items are rated using a 7-point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree); Compliance with public health guidance items are rated using a scale ranging from 1 = “not at all”, 7 “all of the time”.