Comparing Relative Strengths of Statistical Associations Between Psychological Traits and Vaccination-Related Outcomes I

NCT07172074 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 2022111275K01AG065440
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,786
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study was to identify psychological motives that had the strongest statistical associations with vaccine outcomes in order to identify novel intervention targets to be used in vaccine promotion efforts. A national sample of US adults completed an online survey containing a variety of vaccine-related measures and psychological trait measures.

Conditions

Vaccination; Vaccination Hesitancy; Vaccination Promotion; Psychological Aspects

Keywords

Vaccination; Vaccine Confidence; Attitudinal Roots; Psychological Traits; Motivated Social Cognition

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Vaccine attitudes

  Feelings towards vaccines on a 7-point scale, with Very negative (1) and Very positive (7) as the scale anchors

  Day 1

• Vaccination History

  Indicated if they had received up to 7 age-recommended vaccines (Response options: No, Yes, Don't know/Unsure)

  Day 1

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Psychological trait measures

  Day 1

• 7C Antecedents to Vaccination

  Day 1

• Attitudes towards Complementary and Alternative Medicine

  Day 1

• Personal Characteristics/Demographics

  Day 1

Study Arms (3)

Planned Missingness Design Block A

EXPERIMENTAL

Respondents were randomized to complete one of three blocks (items predetermined by being randomized to blocks, with 1/3 of items in each block) of the psychological trait measures

Diagnostic Test: General Psych Trait Measure; Other: Vaccine-Specific Psych Trait Measures

Planned Missingness Design Block B

EXPERIMENTAL

Respondents were randomized to complete one of three blocks (items predetermined by being randomized to blocks, with 1/3 of items in each block) of the psychological trait measures

Diagnostic Test: General Psych Trait Measure; Other: Vaccine-Specific Psych Trait Measures

Planned Missingness Design Block C

EXPERIMENTAL

Respondents were randomized to complete one of three blocks (items predetermined by being randomized to blocks, with 1/3 of items in each block) of the psychological trait measures

Diagnostic Test: General Psych Trait Measure; Other: Vaccine-Specific Psych Trait Measures

Interventions

General Psych Trait Measure DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Respondents were randomized to answer whether psychological trait questions were general or about vaccines

Planned Missingness Design Block A; Planned Missingness Design Block B; Planned Missingness Design Block C

Vaccine-Specific Psych Trait Measures OTHER

Respondents were randomized to answer whether psychological trait questions were general or about vaccines

Planned Missingness Design Block A; Planned Missingness Design Block B; Planned Missingness Design Block C

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Consent to participate
• Agree to provide quality responses

You may not qualify if:

• Quota completed (Equal #s of respondents in each group)
• Age group: 18-49, 50-64, 65+
• Race/ethnicity: Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic
• Income: \<$50K, $50K or more
• Gender: Female, Male or other gender identity

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Iowa: lead
• National Institute on Aging (NIA): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Vaccination Hesitancy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Vaccination Refusal; Treatment Refusal; Treatment Adherence and Compliance; Health Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Aaron Scherer, PhD

  University of Iowa

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Masking Details: Randomization was done by the online survey platform (Qualtrics)
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor of Internal Medicine

Model Details: Decades of research has shown that information is sought out, evaluated, and used in a biased way in order to satisfy people's motivations to satisfy their psychological needs. This bias in information processing is broadly referred to as "motivated social cognition". Three general psychological needs people are motivated to satisfy include: 1. Managing threats: Motivations to eliminate perceived physical, emotional, or ideological threats 2. Reducing uncertainty: Motivations to reduce uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity, or disorder 3. Achieving social goals: Motivations for relationships with like-minded others and keeping groups distinct I propose that different forms of these motives may underlie vaccine outcomes and the processing of vaccine-related information.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 3, 2025
• First Posted: September 15, 2025
• Study Start: December 30, 2022
• Primary Completion: February 27, 2025
• Study Completion: February 27, 2025
• Last Updated: September 16, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
• Time Frame: Immediately
• Access Criteria: Anyone will be able to access any of the study materials and/or date upon request or if posted to Dr. Scherer's OSF website (https://osf.io/wgf4j)

Locations

US (1)