Factors Influencing the Intention of Students in Regard to Stem Cell Donation for Leukemia Patients: A Comparison of Non-intenders and Intenders

This study investigates factors influencing students’ intention to donate stem cells to leukemia patients. As a theoretical framework, an extended model based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is used, the TPB+ model. TPB+ model includes motivational internal factors of TPB (behavioral, normative and control beliefs), and selected external factors, such as knowledge, moral obligation, moral reasoning, self-identity as a helper, and empathy, which were identified as influencing factors, especially in studies about blood donation. Based on the theoretical frame, the teaching unit “Wake up – sensitization for stem cell donation” was developed and conducted with 94 10th to 12th graders from German high schools. The research question was: To what extent do the measured constructs of TPB+ change among non-intenders and intenders (students with high or low levels of intention for a stem cell donation) after participation in the “Wake up” teaching unit? The participants completed a questionnaire before and after the teaching unit. The data were analyzed with t-tests. The findings demonstrate that the teaching unit significantly influences some factors (e.g. negative attitude-related beliefs, control beliefs, moral obligation and subject knowledge), as well as the intention of non-intenders and intenders for stem cell donation.