A Reasoned Action Approach to Parent-Child Concussion Communication in Youth Sports

Abstract

This study applied the reasoned action approach to examine psychosocial predictors of parent-child communication intentions about sport-related concussions (SRCs). While parents are central to youth concussion safety, little research has identified which belief-based mechanisms shape their intent to initiate SRC conversations. Using a cross-sectional survey of U.S. parents of youth athletes aged 8–12 (N = 300), both main and interaction effects of experiential and instrumental attitudes, injunctive and descriptive norms, and perceived behavioral control (operationalized as capacity) were tested. Findings showed that experiential attitudes, injunctive norms, and capacity significantly predicted intention. Moderation analyses revealed that perceived behavioral control strengthened, and perceived norms attenuated, the attitude–intention relationship. These results suggest intention formation is not merely additive but shaped by the relationships between attitudinal, normative, and control-based beliefs. Theoretically, this study expands the reasoned approach by modeling moderation across all three intention pathways and addresses calls for more granular application of theory in sport communication. Practically, it identifies belief-based levers—emotional framing, normative messaging, and confidence-building—that can improve concussion education for parents during a critical developmental window. Findings contribute both to sport health messaging and to understanding how psychosocial beliefs shape behavior in emotionally sensitive, parent-driven safety contexts.