Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), Risk of Drowning, and Water Safety Perceptions of Adult Caregivers/Parents

Kevin Moran,Teresa Stanley,Jonathon Webber

doi:10.2174/1875399x01811010050

Abstract

BackgroundWhile the circumstances surrounding drowning incidents in high income countries are well known, little is known about how members of the public perceive the risk of drowning and their role in drowning prevention.Objective:The purpose of the study was to analyze caregiver/parent perceptions of the risk of drowning in terms of risk (threat) appraisal processes and coping appraisal processes.Method:This study utilized Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to analyse parent’s perception of the risk of drowning as part of an evaluation of a water safety program. Participants (N= 174) completed a pre-intervention survey that sought information on their water competency, open water experience, previous instruction, and perceptions of drowning risk.Results:In terms of risk appraisal processes, more females, Asian peoples, and those with lower self-reported swimming and rescue competency perceived greater severity of drowning risk and greater vulnerability to that risk when swimming in open water. In terms of coping appraisal processes, males, non-Asian peoples and those with self-reported good swimming and rescue competencies were more likely to report confidence in the self-efficacy of their preventive actions.Conclusion:Considerable variations in risk (threat) appraisal and coping appraisal processes in respect of the risk of drowning were evident. The implications of the findings on water safety education are discussed. Ways of promoting water safety and drowning prevention are examined and recommendations for future research studies to address limitations of the study are made.

Highlights

Drowning is “a significant, complex, and multifaceted phenomenon, which has at its heart, the way in which humans interact with the aquatic environment” (p.131) [1]
We aimed to investigate the dimensions of risk perceptions that inform caregivers/parents perceptions of safe behaviour drawing upon protection motivation theory as a guiding theoretical framework
The present study focuses on information obtained from the initial questionnaire in relation to respondents’ perceptions of the risk of drowning prior to the commencement of the water safety program

Summary

Introduction

Drowning is “a significant, complex, and multifaceted phenomenon, which has at its heart, the way in which humans interact with the aquatic environment” (p.131) [1]. The Open Sports Sciences Journal, 2018, Volume 11 51 that behavioural, environmental, and occupational risk factors account for more than half of global drowning mortality. It concluded that, in light of the prominence of behavioural risk factors, behavioural and social science research on interventions for these risks should be strengthened. In New Zealand, where opportunity for aquatic recreational activity and unintentional immersion abounds, water safety promotion has recently focussed on the complex interaction of people, activities, and environment to explain the drowning problem, but concluded that more research and investigation is required to unpack this complexity so as to better inform drowning prevention strategy [3]. While the circumstances surrounding drowning incidents in high income countries are well known, little is known about how members of the public perceive the risk of drowning and their role in drowning prevention

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion