PREDICTING CHILD RESTRAINT DEVICE USE - A COMPARISON OF 2 MODELS

This study's first objective was to apply Ajzen's theory of planned be havior (TPB) in the context of automobile child restraint device use t o identify determinants of that behavior. A second objective was to te st two specific hypotheses regarding the predictive role of perceived behavioral control: (a) Its inclusion should increase the proportion o f variance already explained in intention by the attitudinal and norma tive components included in the theory of reasoned action; and (b) giv en the behavior under study, a model in which perception of behavioral control's influence on behavior is entirely mediated by intention, sh ould fit the data. Subjects (N = 590) were parents driving with their 3- to 5-year-old children intercepted while entering or leaving parkin g lots of different public settings. The behavior of interest, child r estraint device use, was rated by two independent observers. A self-re port questionnaire assessing all constructs of Ajzen's model was given to the parent, who was instructed to return it by mail. Data were ana lyzed using LISREL VII. Results showed that perceived behavioral contr ol and, to a lesser extent, attitude, emerged as the main determinants of behavioral intention which was itself predictive of child restrain t device use. In addition, both hypotheses regarding the relation betw een perceived behavioral control on the one hand and intention and beh avior, on the other, were supported. Discussion centered first on the mechanism through which perceived behavioral control exerts its influe nce, and second on the implications of the present results for the the ory of reasoned action as well as for the theory of planned behavior.