Author(s): Kamaldeen Ibrahim Nageri
Preventing the spread of COVID-19 critically depends on individuals’ adherence to preventive behaviors such as social distancing and mask wearing. Despite widespread public health campaigns, there remains limited understanding of the psychosocial factors that motivate these behaviors in the Nigerian context. Guided by the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction, this study surveyed 280 Nigerian adults during the early stages of the pandemic to examine the influence of attitudes, perceived social norms, self-efficacy, and risk perceptions on intentions to adopt mask-wearing and social distancing. Structural equation modeling revealed that positive attitudes significantly predicted intentions for both behaviors, while perceived norms predominantly influenced mask-wearing intentions. Self-efficacy emerged as a stronger predictor for social distancing intentions. Additionally, societal risk perception enhanced attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy, whereas personal risk perception showed a complex negative relationship with these constructs. The findings underscore the importance of culturally tailored, socially grounded health communication strategies that emphasize collective risk and build confidence in preventive practices. These insights offer valuable guidance for policymakers and health practitioners aiming to increase compliance with COVID-19 mitigation measures in Nigeria and similar settings.