Application of the protection motivation theory in predicting wild mushroom consumption among university students in China

Author: mycolabadmin
11/4/2025
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Summary

Wild mushroom poisoning is a serious health problem in China, especially among young adults. This study found that university students are more likely to eat wild mushrooms if they see benefits (like enjoying a delicacy) and less likely if they feel confident they can refuse offers. Simply telling people about the dangers wasn’t very effective, so better solutions should focus on building confidence to say no and offering safe alternatives.

Background

Wild mushroom poisoning represents a significant public health challenge in China, with the highest mortality rate globally. Despite extensive prevention campaigns promoting the ‘Four Don’ts’ principle, wild mushroom consumption behaviors persist across various populations. University students represent a particularly important target population due to newfound autonomy in food choices, exposure to peer influences, and social media exposure.

Objective

This study applied Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to investigate psychological factors influencing wild mushroom consumption intentions among Chinese university students. The objective was to identify key predictors of consumption behavior to inform the development of targeted intervention strategies.

Results

The PMT model demonstrated good fit and explained 42.3% of the variance in wild mushroom consumption intentions. Perceived benefits emerged as the strongest positive predictor (β = 0.385, p < 0.001), while self-efficacy was the strongest negative predictor (β = −0.298, p < 0.001). Traditional threat appraisal components (severity and susceptibility) showed minimal predictive effects despite high baseline risk awareness.

Conclusion

PMT provides a valuable framework for understanding wild mushroom consumption behavior among Chinese university students. Effective interventions must move beyond traditional risk communication to address perceived benefits, enhance self-efficacy through skills training, and consider social factors. Multi-component interventions combining benefit substitution, confidence-building, and social norm modification are recommended for reducing wild mushroom consumption risks.

Published in:PLoS One,
Study Type:Cross-sectional Survey Study,
Source: PMID: 41187153, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0335719