The role of fear of adverse effects in the youths’ intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19: The Reasoned Action Approach

Lazić, Milica and Ljevaja, Milica and Janić, Ognjen (2022) The role of fear of adverse effects in the youths’ intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19: The Reasoned Action Approach. In: XVIII Dani primenjene psihologije. Faculty of Philosophy, Niš, pp. 90-91. ISBN 978-86-7379-605-5

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to test the moderating effect that fear of adverse effects has in the relationship between three predictors of Reasoned Action Approach and youths’ intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The online-based research was conducted in July 2022 on a sample consisting of 311 (70.7% female) participants with an age range from 15 to 25 (M = 21.19, SD = 2.545). Referring to the predictors: attitudes toward vaccination were measured on a five-items scale (α = .963), subjective norms on a four-item scale (α = .879), and perceived behavioral control on a two-item scale (α = .877), while intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 was measured on a three-item scale (α = .992). All of the items had values from 1 to 7. Fear of adverse effects was measured on a single-item scale had values from 1 to 10. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the model was statistically significant in the second block, when interaction of fear of adverse effects and attitudes (R2 = .875, F(3, 307) = 333.997, p < .01); subjective norms (R2 = .784, F(3, 307) = 163.286, p < .01); and perceived behevioral control were introduced (R2 = .631, F(3, 307) = 67.637, p < .01). Interaction was registered only in terms of attitudes and fear of adverse effects (β = -.060, p < .05) and subjective norms and fear of adverse effects (β = -.081, p < .05). Youth with positive attitudes towards vaccination have significantly higher intention to get vaccinated if they fear adverse effects less than youths who fear them more. Also, youth with low fear of adverse effects have higher intention in conditions of both lower and higher social pressure, than youth with higher fear.

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