Factors Affecting the Saving Behavior in Household Water Consumption: A Case Study of Rural Households in Bagh Malek County

The main purpose of this applied research is to analyze the factors affecting the behavior of rural households in water consumption. The information required for the research was collected by survey method and a questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS and Amos software using structural equation modeling approach. The statistical population of this study consisted of rural households in four rural areas of Baghmalek of Khuzestan province (N = 3005) that based on Krejcie and Morgan table, the sample size of 340 households was selected. Samples were selected using stratified sampling method with proportional assignment. The results obtained from the structural equation model of path analysis showed that the variables of intention and self-efficacy have positive, direct, and significant effects on the behavior. Also, perceived reaction effectiveness, perceived vulnerability, attitude towards behavior, perceived severity, and subjective norm had indirect and significant effects on the behavior through the intention. Finally, this framework for examining the variables affecting water consumption behavior can predict 45% and 55% of the changes in the behavior and intention, respectively. In addition, the research findings showed that the integrated model of the two theories of planned behavior and protection motivation as a research framework has more power to explain the behavior and intention of rural households to conserve water than the two theories separately.