Enhancing First Aid Intention Among Chinese University Students: The Role of Physical Education Curriculum, Self-Efficacy, and Social Norms

This study aims to examine the psychological and contextual determinants of first aid intention among Chinese undergraduate students by integrating constructs from the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) incorporating two contextual variables—physical education curriculum and first aid literacy—in the proposed model. Using empirical, quantitative and cross-sectional survey method in convenience sampling approach, data were collected from 545 university students across various disciplines using a structured, self-administered online questionnaire. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using the covariance-based approach was employed using AMOS 28.0 version to assess the hypothesized relationships. The findings revealed that self-efficacy, response efficacy, perceived severity, attitude, and exposure to the physical education curriculum significantly influenced students’ intention to provide first aid. Response cost exhibited a significant negative effect, while subjective norms showed no statistical significance. Furthermore, both attitude and self-efficacy were found to mediate the relationship between curriculum exposure and first aid intention. Notably, first aid literacy moderated the effects of self-efficacy and perceived severity on behavioral intention, emphasizing its role as a catalyst in transforming knowledge and perception into actionable intent. This study contributes to theoretical discourse by extending PMT and TPB through the inclusion of educational and literacy-related contextual factors. Practically, the findings provide valuable insights for curriculum designers, educators, and policymakers in promoting effective first aid education and fostering a culture of preparedness among students. The research underscores the importance of combining psychological readiness with institutional support to enhance emergency response capacity in higher education settings.