Predictors of Koreans’ Excessive Infection Prevention Behaviors during Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic: With a Christian Perspective

This study aimed to examine the psychological factors associated with excessive infection prevention behaviors and to validate a model that predicts such behaviors based on demographic characteristics. The participants were 257 Korean adults aged 21 to 65 years. Predictive models were examined using stepwise regression and decision tree analyses. Nicotine dependence, state anxiety, trait anxiety, behavioral inhibition, and media risk perception were positively correlated with excessive infection prevention behaviors. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that state anxiety, religious affiliation, trait anxiety, and behavioral inhibition significantly contributed to the model, with media risk perception explaining the greatest variance. The decision tree model further identified the presence of older family members, number of housemates, media risk perception, state anxiety, and trait anxiety as key predictors of excessive infection prevention behaviors. These findings suggest that excessive infection prevention behaviors may be influenced by individuals’ media risk perception, heightened anxiety, and fear of transmitting infections to family members.