Government Communication and Behavioral Change amidst COVID-19: Role of Awareness and Fear & Panic

The study sought to assess the effect of government communication on the behavioral change of citizens amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and the mediating role of awareness in this relationship. The moderating role of fear & panic in the relationship between awareness and behavioral change was also ascertained. The study was based on 304 residents in Ghana. Descriptive analysis was first conducted using SPPS software (v.23). After which Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was run to estimate the path coefficients, using Amos software (v.23). It was concluded that, government communication had a significant positive effect on behavioral change. Further, government communication had a significant positive effect on COVID-19 awareness, while awareness subsequently had a significant positive effect on behavioral change among the citizens. Awareness was found to partially mediate the relationship between government communication and behavioral change. Finally, it was concluded that, although fear & panic had a direct positive effect on behavioral change among citizens, it negatively moderated the relationship between awareness and behavioral change.
