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A self-affirmation exercise does not improve intentions to vaccinate among parents with negative vaccine attitudes
Rachael D Reavis1, Jacob B Ebbs1, Adaobi K Onunkwo1
1Department of Psychology, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana, United States of America.
Plos One
|July 14, 2017
Summary
Self-affirmation exercises did not increase vaccine intent in parents with negative attitudes. Correcting misinformation about vaccines reduced some safety concerns but not autism beliefs.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Vaccine hesitancy remains a significant public health concern.
- Misinformation regarding vaccine safety, particularly the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism, persists.
- Understanding interventions to improve vaccine acceptance is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of a self-affirmation exercise on vaccine safety beliefs.
- To assess the impact of self-affirmation and correcting information on intent to vaccinate future children.
- To examine how pre-existing vaccine attitudes moderate intervention effects.
Main Methods:
- Two studies (N=585, N=576) employed a 2x2 design involving correcting information (MMR-autism link) and a self-affirmation exercise.
- Participants were parents with children under 18.
- Intent to vaccinate future children and vaccine safety beliefs were measured.
Main Results:
- Correcting information reduced beliefs in serious vaccine side effects but not the MMR-autism link.
- Self-affirmation was ineffective for parents with negative vaccine attitudes.
- For parents with negative attitudes, self-affirmation reduced vaccination intent when correcting information was absent.
Conclusions:
- Self-affirmation alone or with correcting information is not effective in increasing vaccine intent among hesitant parents.
- Targeted interventions addressing specific misinformation and parental attitudes may be necessary.
- Further research is needed to develop effective strategies for vaccine-hesitant populations.
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