Pro-Vaccine Group Has 'Highest Rates of Mental Health Problems'—'Extreme' Anti-Vaccine Group Is Psychologically 'Balanced and Stable,' Well Educated: Journal 'Health Psychology Open'
Pro-vaccine group shows "high levels of neuroticism, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, and external locus of control," the study reads.
A new study published Thursday in Health Psychology Open confirms the highest rates of mental instability occur among the least skeptical of COVID-19 injections.
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The study looked at 1,428 participants’ personality traits, mental health status, and measures of so-called “irrational” beliefs.
The participants comprised 394 males and 843 females “and 11 divers (sic)” between 18 and 70+ years old.
A total of 915 participants were vaccinated (73.3%) and 333 were unvaccinated (26.7%).
Participants were required to disclose if they were suffering from a psychiatrically diagnosed mental health condition and were asked to specify any diagnosed disorders.
The participants were categorized into two classes: those who trust the mainstream narrative regarding COVID jabs (non-skeptics, pro-COVID vaccine) and those who don’t (skeptics, anti-COVID vaccine).
Those classes were further divided into two non-skeptic subdivisions (class 1 and class 2) and three skeptic ones (class 3, class 4, and class 5).
The German and Dutch study authors had set out to find “emotional instability” among the vaccine-skeptical groups, but they found the highest rates of mental instability among those in favor of vaccination.
For example, the smaller of the two non-skeptic classes (class 2) reported “the highest rates of mental health problems, along with high levels of neuroticism, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, and external locus of control,” the authors confirm.
They discovered a majority (60.7%) of those among the class 2 pro-vaccine subgroup reported to be “suffering from a diagnosed mental health problem that may relate to their distinct personality trait profiles.”
Regarding the three subgroups of anti-vaccine skeptics, the largest group (class 3) was found to be “rather well-balanced regarding personality traits.”
Mental health problems were discovered among the small class 4 “strong” vaccine-skeptical group, but only among one-third of the class, which itself only made up 3.5% of all participants.
Significantly, the class 5 anti-vaccination “extreme skeptics,” who made up 7.1% of participants, were found to be “balanced and stable,” showing “a low profile in the [negative psychological] trait measures.”
The authors commented on the “striking” level of education among the class 5 skeptic group.
“The most striking subgroup is class 5 (extreme skeptics),” they write. “This group is also relatively small (7.17%) but holds extreme views regarding vaccination, in particular against COVID-19. While 14.6% of this group has a low level of education, 64.7% are well educated, holding at least a high school degree, 14.6% being currently enrolled as university students, and 22.0% even holding a university degree.”
Interestingly, the study apparently omitted the education level among the pro-vaccine groups.
Class 5 skeptics perceive vaccination as an “identity-altering procedure that poses a threat to free will and self-determination.”
You can download the full study here:
The study authors’ affiliations include:
Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.
VITOS Hochtaunus Psychiatric Hospital, Friedrichsdorf, Germany.
Groningen University, Groningen, Netherlands.
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany.
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"Interestingly, the study apparently omitted the education level among the pro-vaccine groups."...my uncle is a psychiatrist. He is highly educated and believes in vax and masks...need I say more? How convenient that they left out the education level among pro-vaccine groups. The researchers can't handle the truth. We should we writing in and asking for the data. Vinay Prasad would have a field day with this study!
Here is my speculation on the response from the pro-vaccine group.
Those who are vaccine skeptics are science deniers and therefore they have similar incidents of mental illness, they are just in denial that they have it.
This is their response to most things when you provide evidence of the contrary.
I've been blocked by many who affirm the opposite that this study presents. They often post stories and insinuate that skepticism is associated with "conspiracy theorist nutjob." They will talk about flat earthers, people who believe in homeopathic remedies and then will also state that those who were against the experimental injection and masking were those who are "unstable."