The Role of Emotional Competences in Parents’ Vaccine Hesitancy
The role of parents’ emotional competencies on vaccine hesitancy and decision making has been seldom examined. Two studies investigated the relationship between parents’ attitudes towards childhood vaccines and self-reported behavior (Study 1) and between parents’ emotional competence and attitudes...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/3/298 |
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| author | Teresa Gavaruzzi Marta Caserotti Irene Leo Alessandra Tasso Leonardo Speri Antonio Ferro Elena Fretti Anna Sannino Enrico Rubaltelli Lorella Lotto |
| author_facet | Teresa Gavaruzzi Marta Caserotti Irene Leo Alessandra Tasso Leonardo Speri Antonio Ferro Elena Fretti Anna Sannino Enrico Rubaltelli Lorella Lotto |
| author_sort | Teresa Gavaruzzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The role of parents’ emotional competencies on vaccine hesitancy and decision making has been seldom examined. Two studies investigated the relationship between parents’ attitudes towards childhood vaccines and self-reported behavior (Study 1) and between parents’ emotional competence and attitudes towards vaccines (Study 2). In Study 1, predictors of temporal, partial, or complete vaccine refusal (having voluntarily postponed/forgone some/all vaccines) were examined in 2778 parents. In Study 2, psychological predictors of the attitude towards vaccines were examined in 593 parents, using the Profile of Emotional Competence and the valence of mental images spontaneously associated with the term “vaccine”. In Study 1, attitudes were aggregated in three independent factors (concerns about vaccine safety; diseases prevented by vaccines; and naturalistic views) that independently predicted vaccine refusal. In Study 2, a significant mediational analysis showed a positive indirect effect of intrapersonal emotional competences on attitudes towards vaccines, through mental images associated with the word “vaccine”. Parents’ intrapersonal emotional competences affected all dimensions of attitudes towards vaccines, suggesting that being able to manage, identify, and recognize one’s own emotions is central to vaccine acceptance. These findings suggest that intervention strategies, rather than stressing the pro-social benefits of vaccinating, should focus on aspects related to one’s own emotions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:00:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-38d50dceb75f443a8f0f091bf6c82fd8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:00:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-38d50dceb75f443a8f0f091bf6c82fd82023-11-21T11:32:25ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2021-03-019329810.3390/vaccines9030298The Role of Emotional Competences in Parents’ Vaccine HesitancyTeresa Gavaruzzi0Marta Caserotti1Irene Leo2Alessandra Tasso3Leonardo Speri4Antonio Ferro5Elena Fretti6Anna Sannino7Enrico Rubaltelli8Lorella Lotto9Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, ItalyDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, ItalyDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, ItalyDepartment of Humanities, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyDepartment of Prevention, AULSS 9 Scaligera, 37122 Verona, ItalyDepartment of Prevention, APSS Trento, 38123 Trento, ItalyDepartment of Prevention, AULSS 9 Scaligera, 37122 Verona, ItalyDepartment of Prevention, AULSS 9 Scaligera, 37122 Verona, ItalyDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, ItalyDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, ItalyThe role of parents’ emotional competencies on vaccine hesitancy and decision making has been seldom examined. Two studies investigated the relationship between parents’ attitudes towards childhood vaccines and self-reported behavior (Study 1) and between parents’ emotional competence and attitudes towards vaccines (Study 2). In Study 1, predictors of temporal, partial, or complete vaccine refusal (having voluntarily postponed/forgone some/all vaccines) were examined in 2778 parents. In Study 2, psychological predictors of the attitude towards vaccines were examined in 593 parents, using the Profile of Emotional Competence and the valence of mental images spontaneously associated with the term “vaccine”. In Study 1, attitudes were aggregated in three independent factors (concerns about vaccine safety; diseases prevented by vaccines; and naturalistic views) that independently predicted vaccine refusal. In Study 2, a significant mediational analysis showed a positive indirect effect of intrapersonal emotional competences on attitudes towards vaccines, through mental images associated with the word “vaccine”. Parents’ intrapersonal emotional competences affected all dimensions of attitudes towards vaccines, suggesting that being able to manage, identify, and recognize one’s own emotions is central to vaccine acceptance. These findings suggest that intervention strategies, rather than stressing the pro-social benefits of vaccinating, should focus on aspects related to one’s own emotions.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/3/298vaccinesparentsdecision makingattitudeemotions |
| spellingShingle | Teresa Gavaruzzi Marta Caserotti Irene Leo Alessandra Tasso Leonardo Speri Antonio Ferro Elena Fretti Anna Sannino Enrico Rubaltelli Lorella Lotto The Role of Emotional Competences in Parents’ Vaccine Hesitancy Vaccines vaccines parents decision making attitude emotions |
| title | The Role of Emotional Competences in Parents’ Vaccine Hesitancy |
| title_full | The Role of Emotional Competences in Parents’ Vaccine Hesitancy |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Emotional Competences in Parents’ Vaccine Hesitancy |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Emotional Competences in Parents’ Vaccine Hesitancy |
| title_short | The Role of Emotional Competences in Parents’ Vaccine Hesitancy |
| title_sort | role of emotional competences in parents vaccine hesitancy |
| topic | vaccines parents decision making attitude emotions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/3/298 |
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