Objective: A school-based vaccination programme to prevent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer, began in October 2008 in England. The present study evaluated the role of temporal perspective in the formation of attitudes and intentions towards the vaccine.
Design: A cross-sectional correlational survey of 245 parents of 11-12-year-old girls.
Methods: Parents read a passage about the HPV vaccine containing information about benefits and concerns parents might have about the vaccine. They then completed a thought listing task and measures of attitude, vaccine efficacy, anticipated regret, intention, and consideration of future consequences.
Results: Parents with higher consideration of future consequences generated more positive relative to negative thoughts, held more positive attitudes, higher response efficacy, reported higher anticipated regret about not vaccinating their daughters and held more positive intentions. Mediation analyses suggested that the influence of thoughts generated on intention to vaccinate was partially mediated by attitude, perceived vaccine efficacy, and anticipated regret if the vaccine were not taken up.
Conclusion: Messages emphasizing efficacy of vaccination and anticipated regret are likely to promote vaccination uptake.