Hamilton Kyra, Keech Jacob J, Peden Amy E
School of Applied Psychology Griffith University QLD Australia; Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California Merced CA USA; Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä Finland.
School of Applied Psychology Griffith University QLD Australia.
J Safety Res. 2025 Jul;93:90-98. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2025.02.016. Epub 2025 Feb 19.
Swimming pools pose a significant drowning risk to young children, with little research investigating safety around portable pools. This study explores the beliefs Australian parents of children aged under 5 years hold toward portable pool safety behaviors.
A two-phase online survey design guided by the belief-based framework of the theory of planned behavior was used. Phase 1 comprised open ended questions to identify parents' (N = 50) modal salient beliefs regarding three portable pool safety behaviors: (1) supervising their child within arm's reach; (2) ensuring adequate fencing for portable pools 300 mm and deeper; and (3) emptying and storing the pool safely when not in use. Phase 2 (N = 214) used a quantitative survey to examine the key behavioral, normative, and control beliefs predicting parents' intentions regarding the three safety behaviors.
A range of beliefs that impact parents' intentions for each of the three safety behaviors for portable pools were identified. These included, for example, behavioral beliefs around teaching water skills and preventing drowning/injury; normative beliefs of approval from family members; and control beliefs around time and ease. Differences in beliefs informing intentions across the three safety behaviors were also observed.
Findings provide valuable insights into the beliefs parents hold regarding keeping their young children safe around portable pools. This knowledge can be used to inform education and awareness raising initiatives for parents of young children regarding portable pool safety, specifically targeting these identified beliefs to improve compliance.
Efforts of drowning prevention organizations and product and consumer safety authorities should prioritize these beliefs in messaging to foster parents' intentions to comply with portable pool safety behaviors.
游泳池对幼儿构成重大溺水风险，而针对便携式泳池周边安全的研究较少。本研究探讨了澳大利亚5岁以下儿童的家长对便携式泳池安全行为的看法。
采用基于计划行为理论的信念框架指导的两阶段在线调查设计。第一阶段包括开放式问题，以确定家长（N = 50）对三种便携式泳池安全行为的主要显著信念：（1）在伸手可及的范围内照看孩子；（2）确保对300毫米及更深的便携式泳池设置足够的围栏；（3）在不使用时安全排空并存放泳池。第二阶段（N = 214）使用定量调查来检验预测家长对三种安全行为意图的关键行为、规范和控制信念。
确定了一系列影响家长对便携式泳池三种安全行为意图的信念。例如，这些信念包括围绕教授水上技能和预防溺水/受伤的行为信念；来自家庭成员认可的规范信念；以及围绕时间和便利性的控制信念。还观察到三种安全行为在影响意图的信念方面存在差异。
研究结果为家长在便携式泳池周边保护幼儿安全的信念提供了有价值的见解。这些知识可用于为幼儿家长开展有关便携式泳池安全的教育和提高认识活动，特别是针对这些已确定的信念以提高合规性。
溺水预防组织以及产品和消费者安全当局的工作应在信息传递中优先考虑这些信念，以促进家长遵守便携式泳池安全行为的意图。
