Predicting COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitation Based on Psychological Resilience and Positive and Negative Affect

Acceptance and hesitation of COVID-19 vaccine have great importance for public health. Understanding the key factors that influence vaccine preferences and desires by the community can help develop strategies to improve the vaccination schedule. The present study aimed to predict the acceptance and hesitation of COVID-19 vaccine based on psychological resilience and positive and negative affect.

The present study was a descriptive-correlational study performed on the Iranian adult population by available sampling method. A total of 461 people participated in the study online in June 1400 by completing questionnaires. Data were collected using the Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Concern questionnaires of COVID-19 vaccine (KAPC), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS).

 A positive relationship exists between psychological resilience and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine and there is a significant positive relationship between negative affect and hesitation about COVID-19 vaccine. Furthermore, the results of regression analysis showed that psychological resilience explained 14% of the variance of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and negative affect explained 25% of the variance of COVID-19 vaccine hesitation acceptance.
 

 According to the findings, programs designed to increase COVID-19 vaccination rate can include interventions to increase psychological resilience and reduce negative affect to create more acceptance and less hesitation about the vaccine.