The Role of Collectivism and Liberty in Parents’ Risk Perceptions, Anticipated Guilt, and Intentions to Vaccinate Their Children Against COVID-19

Background The Federal Drug Administration authorized Pfizer’s vaccine for emergency use among children aged 5–11 in the United States. Parents decide whether to vaccinate their children. Focus of the Article Guided by the health belief model, this research examined the factors associated with U.S. parents’ intentions to vaccinate their children aged 5–11 against COVID-19. It also investigated the role of liberty and collectivist values in parents’ intentions to vaccinate their children. Methods An online survey was conducted in November and December 2021, shortly after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for use among children ages 5–11. Results Structural equation modeling analysis of 571 parents’ responses showed that parents’ perceptions of their children’s susceptibility to COVID-19, perceived efficacy of the vaccine, and their anticipated guilt for not vaccinating their children predicted their intentions to vaccinate their children. In addition, collectivist value orientations had strong and positive associations with perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and anticipated guilt. In contrast, libertarian value orientations negatively predicted these three variables with moderate effect sizes. Recommendations For future vaccination campaigns (e.g., COVID-19, influenza, or another emergent infectious disease), social marketing practitioners should first understand the role of perceived risks of a disease and the benefits and side effects of the vaccines based on formative research. Individuals, social groups, or regions with high libertarian or low collectivist value orientations may require different strategies (e.g., getting vaccinated may help you live more freely).