This study aimed to identify the psychological and behavioral pathways through which foot care behavior perception influences foot care service behavioral intention among military personnel, and to verify the mediating effect of psychological well-bei...
This study aimed to identify the psychological and behavioral pathways through which foot care behavior perception influences foot care service behavioral intention among military personnel, and to verify the mediating effect of psychological well-being and the moderating effect of toenail stress in this process. The research was conducted from October 24, 2023, to January 10, 2024, targeting active-duty soldiers nationwide who participated in the “On-site Foot Health Service for Military Units” program organized by the International Foot Health Professionals Association (PEDINATOR). A total of 300 valid responses were used for the final analysis. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Seokyeong University (SKU IRB-2023-01-045), and the collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 through exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, PROCESS Macro analysis, and bootstrapping tests.
The analysis results are as follows. First, foot care behavior perception had a significant positive effect on psychological well-being, indicating that the more soldiers recognized the importance of foot health, the higher their sense of physical well-being and emotional stability became. Such perception served not only as a hygiene management factor but also as a psychological variable that enhanced self-care awareness, self-esteem, and a sense of control, thereby functioning as an emotional buffer that alleviated stress and tension during military service. Second, foot care behavior perception had a significant positive effect on foot care service behavioral intention. This suggests that when soldiers perceive foot care as important, they are more likely to engage in actual management behaviors such as using, revisiting, or recommending foot care services. Positive recognition of foot care strengthened self-management capacity and increased soldiers’ acceptance of the necessity for foot care services. Third, the mediating effect of psychological well-being between foot care behavior perception and behavioral intention was confirmed. This indicates that soldiers who experience both physical relief and emotional satisfaction from foot care services are more likely to develop favorable behavioral intentions. In other words, higher recognition of foot care was associated with greater confidence, self-esteem, and emotional stability, which in turn reinforced soldiers’ willingness to continuously use foot care services.
Conversely, the moderated mediation effect of toenail stress was not statistically significant. This result suggests that soldiers tend to perceive toenail pain or damage as an inevitable part of their physical activity rather than as a source of psychological stress. Furthermore, due to the hierarchical and structured nature of the military, individuals often find it difficult to express physical discomfort or transform it into a motivation to seek services. Consequently, toenail-related discomfort may not directly translate into psychological well-being or behavioral intention. These findings highlight the need for future foot health management programs to focus on enhancing psychological motivation and self-efficacy rather than solely addressing physical discomfort.
In conclusion, this study empirically demonstrated that foot care behavior perception among military personnel influences behavioral intention through the mediating role of psychological well-being. The results confirm that foot care services function not only as a means of physical health management but also as a psychological welfare resource that contributes to emotional recovery and service satisfaction during military duty. Therefore, the institutionalization of foot health management within the military welfare system is essential to promote both physical health and psychological stability among soldiers. Furthermore, this study provides practical implications for developing military welfare policies, health management programs, and stress management systems that integrate both physical and psychological aspects of foot care.