• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.9-25
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• 2011

This study was performed to explore the factors that affect debt-use intention of young defaulters. In addition, this study compares three models that predict the intention to use debt by young defaulters: the theory of reasoned action and two variations of it. Specifically, this study proposes an extended theory of reasoned action by introducing Ao in place of the cognitive structure in the theory of reasoned action. In addition, this study proposes Ao as an independent variable that acts on BI rather than a dependent variable. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 196 young defaulters attending a credit management education session held by the Credit Counseling & Recovery Service in Kwang-ju, Korea. Based on the study, the conclusions are as follows: the extended theory of reasoned action as proposed in this article most suitably explained the intention to use debt by young defaulters. It was also found that young defaulters were affected by attitudes toward debt, attitudes toward using debt, and subjective norms. It is therefore suggested that an attitudinal message would change the behavior effectively for young defaulters. The findings appeared to support the usefulness of the extended theory of reasoned action and the role of Ao as an independent variable as proposed in this article to explain the intention to use debt by young defaulters. These findings have an important theoretical meaning in that they modify two existing attitude theories in the context of consumer behavior.