Psychometric validation of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) scale in German pre-pandemic and mid-pandemic samples
Abstract Despite the public health value of immunizations, vaccine hesitancy is a widespread phenomenon and received special attention during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) Scale aims to identify anti-vaccination attitudes for understanding vaccine hesitanc...
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Nature Portfolio
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82726-8 |
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| author | Marcel Wilhelm Friederike L. Bender Frank Euteneuer Stefan Salzmann Anne-Catherine I. Ewen Winfried Rief |
| author_facet | Marcel Wilhelm Friederike L. Bender Frank Euteneuer Stefan Salzmann Anne-Catherine I. Ewen Winfried Rief |
| author_sort | Marcel Wilhelm |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Despite the public health value of immunizations, vaccine hesitancy is a widespread phenomenon and received special attention during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) Scale aims to identify anti-vaccination attitudes for understanding vaccine hesitancy. The present study is the validation of the German version of the VAX scale in pre-/mid-pandemic samples. All individuals completed an online-survey assessing prior and expected future vaccination behaviors, further constructs associated with vaccine hesitancy, as well as anti-vaccination attitudes using the translated VAX scale among others. In a first study, 297 individuals were surveyed before the COVID-19 pandemic. A second study included 260 individuals recruited during the COVID-19 pandemic. For validation, two confirmatory factor analyses have been conducted. Reliability measures (internal consistency, test–retest-correlation) were determined. The four subscales were confirmed by Confirmation Factor Analysis with a very good to excellent fit. The subscales showed good to excellent reliability and convergent validity determinants. Average VAX values significantly distinguished between individuals who had previously received or refused immunization and predicted expected vaccination behavior. The German translation of the VAX scale is effective in identifying anti-vaccination attitudes and can be used for further research on anti-vaccination attitudes and vaccine hesitancy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-781aa0cb692240a3bc8138f78cee1d7e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| spelling | doaj-art-781aa0cb692240a3bc8138f78cee1d7e2025-08-20T01:59:48ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-12-0114111210.1038/s41598-024-82726-8Psychometric validation of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) scale in German pre-pandemic and mid-pandemic samplesMarcel Wilhelm0Friederike L. Bender1Frank Euteneuer2Stefan Salzmann3Anne-Catherine I. Ewen4Winfried Rief5Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Philipps-University of MarburgDivision of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Philipps-University of MarburgFaculty of Human Sciences, Department of Psychology, Vinzenz Pallotti UniversityDivision of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Philipps-University of MarburgDivision of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Philipps-University of MarburgDivision of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Philipps-University of MarburgAbstract Despite the public health value of immunizations, vaccine hesitancy is a widespread phenomenon and received special attention during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) Scale aims to identify anti-vaccination attitudes for understanding vaccine hesitancy. The present study is the validation of the German version of the VAX scale in pre-/mid-pandemic samples. All individuals completed an online-survey assessing prior and expected future vaccination behaviors, further constructs associated with vaccine hesitancy, as well as anti-vaccination attitudes using the translated VAX scale among others. In a first study, 297 individuals were surveyed before the COVID-19 pandemic. A second study included 260 individuals recruited during the COVID-19 pandemic. For validation, two confirmatory factor analyses have been conducted. Reliability measures (internal consistency, test–retest-correlation) were determined. The four subscales were confirmed by Confirmation Factor Analysis with a very good to excellent fit. The subscales showed good to excellent reliability and convergent validity determinants. Average VAX values significantly distinguished between individuals who had previously received or refused immunization and predicted expected vaccination behavior. The German translation of the VAX scale is effective in identifying anti-vaccination attitudes and can be used for further research on anti-vaccination attitudes and vaccine hesitancy.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82726-8Vaccine hesitancyVaccination behaviorVaccination attitudesVaccineVAX scaleGerman version |
| spellingShingle | Marcel Wilhelm Friederike L. Bender Frank Euteneuer Stefan Salzmann Anne-Catherine I. Ewen Winfried Rief Psychometric validation of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) scale in German pre-pandemic and mid-pandemic samples Scientific Reports Vaccine hesitancy Vaccination behavior Vaccination attitudes Vaccine VAX scale German version |
| title | Psychometric validation of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) scale in German pre-pandemic and mid-pandemic samples |
| title_full | Psychometric validation of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) scale in German pre-pandemic and mid-pandemic samples |
| title_fullStr | Psychometric validation of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) scale in German pre-pandemic and mid-pandemic samples |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychometric validation of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) scale in German pre-pandemic and mid-pandemic samples |
| title_short | Psychometric validation of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) scale in German pre-pandemic and mid-pandemic samples |
| title_sort | psychometric validation of the vaccination attitudes examination vax scale in german pre pandemic and mid pandemic samples |
| topic | Vaccine hesitancy Vaccination behavior Vaccination attitudes Vaccine VAX scale German version |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82726-8 |
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