Health Education Research Advance Access published online on June 12, 2009
Health Education Research, doi:10.1093/her/cyp028
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Disclosing donation decisions: the role of organ donor prototypes in an extended theory of planned behaviour
Faculty of Health, School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia
Correspondence to: * Correspondence to: M. K. Hyde. E-mail: mk.hyde{at}qut.edu.au
This study explored the role of donor prototype evaluations (perceptions of the typical organ donor) in organ donation communication decisions using an extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model. The model incorporated attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, moral norm, self-identity, and donor prototype evaluations to predict intentions to record consent on an organ donor register and discuss the organ donation decision with significant others. Participants completed surveys assessing the extended TPB constructs related to registering (n = 359) and discussing (n = 282). Results supported a role for donor prototype evaluations in predicting discussing intentions only. Both extended TPB structural equation models were a good fit to the data, accounting for 74 and 76% of the variance in registering and discussing intentions, respectively. Participants’ self-reported discussing behaviour (but not registering behaviour given low numbers of behavioural performers) was assessed 4 weeks later, with discussing intention as the only significant predictor of behaviour (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.11). These findings highlight the impact of people's perceptions of a typical donor on their decisions to discuss their organ donation preference, assisting our understanding of the factors influencing individuals' communication processes in efforts to bridge the gap between organ supply and demand.
Received on August 11, 2008; accepted on March 30, 2009