Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) constructs and moral attitude as predictors of intentions to adopt COVID 19 safety protocols among undergraduates of Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria.
Loading...
Date
2026
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Su-Saharan African Research
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented public health challenges worldwide, prompting
governments and health authorities to promote preventive measures such as mask wearing, hand hygiene,
physical distancing, and vaccination. Despite widespread public health campaigns, compliance with these
preventive protocols remained inconsistent, particularly among young adults in developing countries such as
Nigeria. This has raised concerns about the behavioural factors influencing individuals' intentions to adopt
COVID-19 safety measures. Although the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) has been widely used to
explain health-related behaviours, limited empirical evidence exists on the predictive role of its constructs,
alongside moral attitude, in shaping COVID-19 preventive behavioural intentions among Nigerian university
students.
Objective: This study examined the extent to which the constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and
moral attitude predict intentions to adopt COVID-19 safety protocols among undergraduates of Kwara State
University, Malete, Nigeria.
Method: The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Data were collected through a structured
questionnaire administered to 400 undergraduate students selected from a population of approximately 16,000.
Inferential statistical techniques were employed to test the predictive effects of health attitude, subjective
norms, perceived behavioural control, and moral attitude on intentions to adopt COVID-19 preventive
measures.
Results: The findings revealed that moral attitude was a stronger predictor of behavioural intention than health
attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control. The results suggest that individuals' internalised
sense of moral responsibility exerts a greater influence on their intentions to adopt COVID-19 preventive
measures than the traditional constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour.
Conclusion: The study concludes that the traditional constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour were not
significant predictors of intentions to adopt COVID-19 safety protocols in the study context. Instead, moral
attitude emerged as the most significant determinant of behavioural intention, highlighting the importance of
moral considerations in promoting preventive health behaviours.
Unique Contribution: The study extends the Theory of Planned Behaviour by demonstrating the explanatory
value of moral attitude in predicting preventive health intentions within a public health emergency. It also
contributes to health communication scholarship by providing empirical evidence that moral framing offers
additional explanatory power beyond the traditional TPB constructs in influencing health-related behavioural
intentions among university students.
Key Recommendation: The study recommends that future public health communication campaigns on
infectious disease prevention incorporate moral framing by presenting compliance with preventive measures as
a civic and moral responsibility. Such messages should be culturally and religiously sensitive to enhance their
relevance, acceptance, and persuasive effectiveness among target audiences.
Keywords: Theory of Planned Behaviour, moral attitude, COVID-19, preventive behaviour, behavioural
intention, health communication
Description
Keywords
Citation
4. Umeaku, P.C. & Shaibu, A.J. (2026). Theory of Planned Behaviour TPB) constructs and moral attitude as predictors of intentions to adopt COVID 19 safety protocols among undergraduates of Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria. International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research, 4 (1), 199 - 212. Published by the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20666798