Maunder, Jack J. (2021) Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour to Predict Caregivers’ Sun-Protection Behaviour Intention. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
High levels of ultraviolet ray exposure in childhood have been linked with greater risk of skin cancer diagnosis in later life for the Australian population. With the understanding that young children are significantly dependent on caregivers for health behavior implementation and engagement, the factors that impact caregivers’ intentions to engage in these behaviours was investigated. This study examined how caregivers’ attitudes toward sun-protective behaviours, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control predicted caregivers’ intentions to engage in the behaviours with their children aged 0 months to 6 years. The study also investigated if caregiver intention predicted actual sun-protective behaviour. The target behaviours were the five sun-protective behaviours as recommended by Cancer Council Australia. Caregivers (N = 50; 74% female) completed two surveys, with a two-week period between the two. Bivariate correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine associations. As hypothesised, caregivers’ attitudes toward the sunprotective behaviours, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control all accounted for differing levels of variance in caregivers’ intentions to engage in the behaviours with their children. In particular, attitude and perceived behavioural control were found to be significant predictors of caregivers’ intention, and subjective norm were found to be non-significant predictors. Due to insufficient participant response to the second survey (N = 7), the hypothesis that caregiver intention would predict actual sun-protective behaviour could not be examined. The study provides evidence for examining caregiver intention to engage in sun-protective behaviours individually with their young children and offers recommendations for future research and interventions.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
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| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Carla Jeffries |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 31 Jul 2025 00:02 |
| Last Modified: | 31 Jul 2025 00:02 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | sun-protection behaviours ; theory of planned behavior ; children ; caregivers ; skin cancer |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52542 |
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