Effect of Conspiracy Beliefs on Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: Moderating Role of Existential Anxiety and Spiritual Wellbeing in Adults

Abstract

Background:The current study looked at the effect of Coronavirus conspiracy beliefs on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in adults, as well as the moderating role of existential anxiety and spiritual well-being.

Method:Eight hundred fifty employees (male employees, n = 368; female employees, n = 482) with an age range of 18 to 55 years (M = 33.56, SD = 10.71) were recruited from different universities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan, through convenient sampling techniques and a cross-sectional research design. The four standard psychological instruments such as the coronavirus conspiracy beliefs scale, the oxford covid-19 vaccine hesitancy scale, the existential anxiety questionnaire, and the spiritual well-being scale were used in the present study.

Results:The results of the present study revealed that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was found to have a significant positive relationship with Coronavirus conspiracy beliefs and existential anxiety, as well as a significant negative relationship with spiritual wellbeing. Coronavirus conspiracy beliefs were found to be a significant positive predictor of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, while spiritual wellbeing was found to be a significant negative predictor, but existential anxiety was not found to be a significant predictor. Existential anxiety and spiritual well-being did not emerge as significant moderators of the relationship between coronavirus conspiracy beliefs and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. In terms of gender differences, males have higher COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and coronavirus conspiracy beliefs, whereas females scored higher on religious wellbeing and existential anxiety than males.

Conculsion:The current study sheds light on how coronavirus conspiracy beliefs and existential anxiety can increase COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and are mitigated by spiritual wellbeing in adults.