COVID-19 Risk Perception Measure

Abstract

The COVID-19 Risk Perception Measure (Savadori et al., 2023) was developed as an original psychological instrument designed to quantify the role of risk perceptions concerning the COVID-19 pandemic in predicting subsequent travel intentions. The scale specifically measures three distinct dimensions of Risk Perception: Affective Risk Perception, Analytical Risk Perception, and Experiential Risk Perception, all related to visiting a destination affected by the virus.

The initial questionnaire consisted of thirteen items adapted from established medical literature. Data for validation were collected across two separate studies utilizing Italian residents. Initial results from a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicated a reasonably good fit to the data; however, two fit indices failed to meet the stringent standards proposed by Hair, Black, Black, Babin, and Anderson (2010). Consequently, two items (Q2 and Q3) were removed based on modification indices. The re-specified model demonstrated a significantly improved fit, confirming the scale’s proposed three-factor structure of 11 final items. The study also provided evidence supporting the scale’s internal consistency and composite reliability.

Keywords

Affective Risk Perception, Analytical Risk Perception, Experiential Risk Perception, COVID-19, Pandemic, Tourism, Travel Intentions, Health Attitude Measures

Authors

Savadori, Lucia, Tokarchuk, Oksana, Pizzato, Massimo, Pighin, Stefania

Purpose

The primary objective of this instrument is to quantitatively assess the various facets of risk perceptions—namely affective, analytical, and experiential perceptions—that influence an individual’s inclination or intention to travel to a destination known to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

By differentiating between these three modes of perception, the measure aims to provide researchers and policymakers with a nuanced understanding of how fear, statistical knowledge, and imaginative scenarios drive tourism decisions during periods of global health crisis.

Construct

The COVID-19 Risk Perception Measure is based on the premise that perceived risk is a multidimensional construct, comprising three separable but related factors:

• Analytical Risk Perception: This dimension captures the cognitive, statistical, and probabilistic evaluation of risk, such as the perceived likelihood of contracting the infection.
• Affective Risk Perception: This dimension assesses the emotional response to the risk, including feelings of fear, concern, and nervousness associated with traveling to an affected location.
• Experiential Risk Perception: This dimension relates to the ease with which an individual can imagine or visualize the negative outcome (contracting the virus), often linked to personal experience or vicarious learning.

Validity

The source content explicitly states that validity was not formally indicated or reported in the study documentation. Future research utilizing this instrument would need to establish various forms of validity, such as criterion or construct validity, through external measures.

Reliability

The reliability of the scale was primarily assessed through measures of internal consistency and composite reliability.

For all derived factors (Affective, Analytical, and Experiential Risk Perception), the calculated Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were reported to be greater than the standard acceptable threshold of .70, suggesting adequate reliability across the subscales.

Factor Analysis

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to verify the hypothesized measurement model. The initial CFA results indicated a mixed fit: while indices like CFI (0.951) and TLI (0.938) were strong, the χ2/df ratio (6.05) and RMSEA (0.090) failed to meet the recommended model fit standards (e.g., χ2/df < 3 and RMSEA < 0.07) suggested by Hair et al. (2010).

Following an examination of modification indices, the researchers deleted two problematic items (Q2 and Q3). The model was then re-specified based on the remaining 11 items. The new, revised model demonstrated a significantly improved and better fit to the data (χ2 = 126, df = 41, χ2/df = 3.07, CFI = 0.984, TLI = 0.978, RMSEA = 0.058). In the final model, only the χ2/df ratio (3.07) remained slightly above the most stringent adaptability standard (χ2/df < 3).

Instrument

Test Type: Original instrument developed specifically for assessing Risk Perception during the pandemic context.

Format: The questionnaire utilized 7-point Likert-type scales. Participants were first presented with a scenario requiring them to evaluate a specific vacation location based on its safety regarding coronavirus. They were then provided with varying official rates of COVID-19 infection for a region (Emilia Romagna, Italy) according to their assigned experimental condition. The term “summer vacations” was adapted to “next vacation” during data collection.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years and older)

Population Details: Location: Italy; Respondents: Italian Residents

Test Methodology: Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Keywords

Tourism psychology, Affective Risk Perception, Analytical Risk Perception, Experiential Risk Perception, Pandemic research, Travel behavior

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier:

• Savadori, Lucia: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3957-3132
• Pighin, Stefania: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9088-7201

Affiliation Email addresses:

• Savadori, Lucia: Department of Economics and Management, University of Trento. Email: [email protected]
• Tokarchuk, Oksana: Department of Economics and Management, University of Trento
• Pizzato, Massimo: Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, University of Trento
• Pighin, Stefania: Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento

Correspondence Address:

• Savadori, Lucia: Dipartimento di Economia e Management, Via Inama 5, Trento, Italy, 38122, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: May use for Research/Teaching

Commercial: No

Fee: No

Test Year: 2023

Reference’s

Savadori, L., Tokarchuk, O., Pizzato, M., & Pighin, S. (2023). The impact of infection risk communication format on tourism travel intentions during COVID-19. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 54, 65–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.12.004

Items of the COVID-19 Risk Perception Measure

Number of Items: This measure consists of 11 final items (13 original items).

Factors and Subscales:

• Factors: Affective risk perception; Analytical risk perception; Experiential risk perception.

  Test Items Available: Yes

Note. ^a Denote those items eliminated from the final variables after the CFA; [REV] indicates those items that were reverse coded for analysis.