Search

Abstract Background The Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) Scale is a widely used scale designed to measure general attitudes toward vaccinations. However, evidence for the VAX’s structural, convergent, and discriminant validity is still limited, especially in youth samples. Methods The present study examined the psychometric multidimensionality and evidence of convergent and discriminant validity of the VAX using the bifactor-exploratory structural equation modeling approach (bifactor-ESEM). Using a sample of 803 Serbian adolescents and young adults (M age = 18.23, SD age = 2.66, age range = 15–24 years, 59.2% female), we contrasted the original four-factor model of the VAX with alternative solutions (ESEM, bifactor-CFA, and bifactor-ESEM), and investigated associations between vaccination attitudes and a variety of external criteria. Results The results supported the bifactor-ESEM solution with one general factor of vaccination attitudes and four specific factors (Mistrust of vaccine benefit, Worries about unforeseen future effects, Concerns about commercial profiteering, and Preference for natural immunity) as the best representation of the data. The general factor was well-defined, and three specific factors showed good validity and specificity after the general factor was taken into account. The results of convergent validity analyses showed that the general factor of vaccine attitudes and one specific factor (Mistrust of vaccine benefit) were good predictors of vaccine conspiracy beliefs, attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination, intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and trust in healthcare. The remaining three specific factors’ contributions to external criteria were generally weak and nonsignificant. Evidence of the discriminant validity of the VAX scores was supported by weak positive associations of the general factor with medical fears and paranoid worry. Conclusions The present findings indicate that distinguishing general and specific components of vaccination attitudes offers a more nuanced assessment and understanding of vaccination attitudes.

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine cross-cultural differences, as operationalized by Schwartz's refined theory of basic values, in burnout levels among psychotherapists from 12 European countries during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We focused on the multilevel approach to investigate if individual- and country-aggregated level values could explain differences in burnout intensity after controlling for sociodemographic, work-related characteristics and COVID-19-related distress among participants. 2915 psychotherapists from 12 countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Great Britain, Serbia, Spain, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland) participated in this study. The participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey, the revised version of the Portrait Values Questionnaire, and a survey questionnaire on sociodemographic, work-related factors and the COVID-19 related distress. In general, the lowest mean level of burnout was noted for Romania, whereas the highest mean burnout intensity was reported for Cyprus. Multilevel analysis revealed that burnout at the individual level was negatively related to self-transcendence and openness-to-change but positively related to self-enhancement and conservation values. However, no significant effects on any values were observed at the country level. Male sex, younger age, being single, and reporting higher COVID-19-related distress were significant burnout correlates. Burnout among psychotherapists may be a transcultural phenomenon, where individual differences among psychotherapists are likely to be more important than differences between the countries of their practice. This finding enriches the discussion on training in psychotherapy in an international context and draws attention to the neglected issue of mental health among psychotherapists in the context of their professional functioning.

The interrelatedness of social-structural aspects and psychological features with vaccination intention provides the context to explore personal psychological features related to vaccination. Specifically, we focused on general decision making and vaccine-related dispositions, and their contribution to the intention to vaccinate, within post-pandemic circumstances, after the imposed possibility of choosing a vaccine brand. Our study aimed to map the function (promotive, protective, risk, vulnerability) of a set of personal psychological aspects in the intention to vaccinate among people holding different social roles regarding the vaccination. We surveyed three samples of people: healthcare providers (HPs), parents, and laypeople, within the post-pandemic context. Negative vaccine attitudes lower intention to vaccinate in all regression models (all βs ranging from −0.128 to −0.983, all ps < 0.01). The main results indicate that, regardless of the sample/social role, there is a shared attitudinal core for positive vaccination intention. This core consists of [high] trust in large corporations, government, and healthcare systems, as well as perceived consensus on vaccine safety/efficacy and experience of freedom (protective factors), and [low] vaccination conspiracy beliefs, trust in social media, and choice overload (risk and vulnerability factors, respectively). There are no common promotive factors of intention to vaccinate: for parents, perceived consensus on vaccines, and trust in corporations and the healthcare system, play such roles; for HPs, the experience of freedom is obtained as a unique promotive factor. In contrast, for laypeople, no unique promotive factors were found. Our findings provide insights into the function of psychological factors of vaccination intention across different social roles, particularly healthcare providers, parents, and laypeople, and emphasize the need for tailored immunization interventions in the post-pandemic landscape.

Vaccination has a significant impact on morbidity and mortality. High vaccination coverage rates are required to achieve herd protection against vaccine-preventable diseases. However, limited vaccine access and hesitancy among specific communities represent significant obstacles to this goal. This review provides an overview of critical factors associated with vaccination among disadvantaged groups in World Health Organisation European countries. Initial searches yielded 18,109 publications from four databases, and 104 studies from 19 out of 53 countries reporting 22 vaccine-preventable diseases were included. Nine groups representing the populations of interest were identified, and most of the studies focused on asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and deprived communities. Recall of previous vaccinations received was poor, and serology was conducted in some cases to confirm protection for those who received prior vaccinations. Vaccination coverage was lower among study populations compared to the general population or national average. Factors that influenced uptake, which presented differently at different population levels, included health service accessibility, language and vaccine literacy, including risk perception, disease severity and vaccination benefits. Strategies that could be implemented in vaccination policy and programs were also identified. Overall, interventions specific to target communities are vital to improving uptake. More innovative strategies need to be deployed to improve vaccination coverage among disadvantaged groups.

Cilj ovog istraživanja je ispitivanje psihofizičkog i socijalnog blagostanja starih osoba nakon nedavnog gubitka supružnika. Istraživanje blagostanja starih ožalošćenih je sprovedeno poređenjem grupe tugujućih (64 ispitanika) i netugujućih starih osoba (104 ispitanika). Starost ispitanika obe grupe kretala se od 65 do 89 godina. Dobijeni rezultati potvrđuju postojanje značajnih razlika u nivou većine ispitivanih indikatora blagostanja. Razlike su uglavnom male do srednje veličine efekta. Stare osobe koje su u protekla dva do tri meseca izgubile supružnike ispoljavaju očekivano niže zadovoljstvo životom i niži doživljaj smisla života, kao i više vrednosti negativnog i niži stepen pozitivnog afekta u poređenju sa ispitanicima u bračnom odnosu. Dodatno, tugujuće osobe izveštavaju o većem doživljaju usamljenosti, uprkos snažnije percipiranoj dostupnosti instrumentalne podrške. Suprotno očekivanjima proisteklim iz nekih ranijih nalaza, razlike između tugujućih i netugujućih ispitanika nisu registrovane u pogledu stepena emocionalnog distresa i percipiranog zdravstvenog statusa. Takođe, ove dve grupe ispitanika se ne razlikuju po nivou rezilijentnosti i percipirane emocionalne podrške, dok se razlike pojavljuju u nivou funkcionalnog statusa. Tugujući ispitanici se pokazuju kao funkcionalno nezavisniji od netugujućih. Polne razlike u grupi tugujućih ispitanika utvrđene su samo u slučaju negativnog afekta, koji je u većoj meri zastupljen kod udovica. Uopšteno, dobijeni rezultati su u većem delu u skladu sa ranijim istraživanjima, ali delimično ukazuju i na izvesne specifičnosti koje moguće proističu iz nekih karakteristika tugovanja i starenja u našoj kulturi.

Najveći broj modela koji se bave efektima negativnih iskustava u detinjstvu, pretpostavlja da rana averzivna iskustva imaju ulogu moderatora koji menja način na koji će osoba reagovati na aktuelne životne stresore. Osnovni cilj ovog istraživanja je provera osnovnih postavki modela senzitizacije na stres i modela inokulacije stresa. Istraživanje je longitudinalnog tipa, sa tri ponovljena merenja, u intervalima od oko 6 meseci. Ispitano je 293 ispitanika (80% ženskog pola), prosečne starosti 20.56 godina. U 1. fazi ispitanici su izveštavali o negativnim iskustvima u porodičnom kontekstu u periodu detinjstva, u 2. fazi su popunjavali listu negativnih životnih događaja u prethodnih šest meseci, a u 3. fazi su dali podatke o aktuelnim simptomima distresa. Rezultati potvrđuju početnu pretpostavku o moderatorskoj ulozi ranih negativnih iskustava u relaciji između aktuelnih stresora i nivoa distresa, i u skladu su sa modelom saturacije stresa koji pripada grupi modela o senzitizaciji na stres. Postoji pozitivna povezanost između broja aktuelnih stresora i nivoa distresa, ali samo kod ispitanika koji su imali nizak i umeren nivo izloženosti ranim averzivnim iskustvima. Ispitanici sa visokim nivoom negativnih ranih iskustava izveštavaju o povišenom nivou distresa nezavisno od broja aktuelnih stresora. Kada se uporede ispitanici sa malim i umerenim nivoom ranog negativnog iskustva u situacijama sa malim brojem aktuelnih stresora, kao adekvatniji model se pokazuje model inokulacije stresa, jer ispitanici sa umerenim nivoom negativnih iskustava, kada se nađu u situaciji malog broja stresora, ispoljavaju najniži distres.