ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Health Psychology
The Influence of Descriptive Norms and Media Trust on Male HPV Vaccination Willingness: An Extended Protection Motivation Theory Approach
Provisionally accepted
- Chongqing University School of Journalism and Communication, Chongqing, China
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Purpose: Human papillomavirus (HPV) poses a substantial health risk to men, yet male vaccination remains under-prioritized in China. This study examines how five Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) cognitions (perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and response cost), together with descriptive norms and media trust, shape Chinese men's willingness to receive the HPV vaccine. We further assess both direct effects and indirect (mediated) pathways linking these factors to vaccination willingness. Participants and Methods: A nationwide online quota survey collected 3,013 valid responses from men aged 18-45 across 120 Chinese cities. Five-point Likert scales assessed perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and response cost (Protection Motivation Theory constructs), as well as descriptive norms, media trust, and HPV vaccination willingness. Structural equation modeling (AMOS 29.0) estimated direct paths while controlling for age, education, income, and marital status as covariates, and bias-corrected bootstrapping was used to test indirect (mediated) effects. Results: Vaccination willingness was positively associated with perceived severity (β = 0.307, 95% CI [0.241, 0.372]), perceived vulnerability (β = 0.175, 95% CI [0.052, 0.303]), response efficacy (β = 0.297, 95% CI [0.228, 0.357]), self-efficacy (β = 0.133, 95% CI [0.041, 0.215]), descriptive norms (β = 0.183, 95% CI [0.126, 0.239]), and media trust (β = 0.133, 95% CI [0.052, 0.251]) (all p < 0.01). Perceived response cost was negatively associated with willingness (β = -0.314, 95% CI [-0.372, -0.246], p < 0.001). Descriptive norms indirectly promoted willingness via perceived severity and response efficacy; media trust exerted three indirect paths through perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, and response efficacy. Conclusion: Men's cognitive appraisal of HPV risks and their coping efficacy underpin vaccination intentions. Social cues (descriptive norms) and reliable information sources (media trust) reinforce these cognitions, amplifying willingness both directly and through PMT constructs. Interventions should normalise male vaccination, enhance message credibility, and alleviate financial or procedural burdens to broaden HPV vaccine uptake among men.
Keywords: HPV vaccine, males, Protection Motivation Theory, descriptive norms, media trust
Received: 03 Jun 2025; Accepted: 03 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Gong and Guo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yi Guo, james.guo@cqu.edu.cn
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