Design and Cross-Cultural Invariance of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 13 Latin American Countries

Tomás Caycho-Rodríguez; Pablo D. Valencia; José Ventura-León; Lindsey W. Vilca; Carlos Carbajal-León; Mario Reyes-Bossio; Michael White; Claudio Rojas-Jara; Roberto Polanco-Carrasco; Miguel Gallegos; Mauricio Cervigni; Pablo Martino; Diego Alejandro Palacios; Rodrigo Moreta-Herrera; Antonio Samaniego-Pinho; Marlon Elías Lobos-Rivera; Andrés Buschiazzo Figares; Diana Ximena Puerta-Cortés; Ibraín Enrique Corrales-Reyes; Raymundo Calderón; Bismarck Pinto Tapia; Walter L. Arias Gallegos; Olimpia Petzold

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.908720

Design and Cross-Cultural Invariance of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 13 Latin American Countries

Tomás Caycho-Rodríguez, Pablo D. Valencia, José Ventura-León, Lindsey W. Vilca, Carlos Carbajal-León, Mario Reyes-Bossio, Michael White, Claudio Rojas-Jara, Roberto Polanco-Carrasco, Miguel Gallegos, Mauricio Cervigni, Pablo Martino, Diego Alejandro Palacios, Rodrigo Moreta-Herrera, Antonio Samaniego-Pinho, Marlon Elías Lobos-Rivera, Andrés Buschiazzo Figares, Diana Ximena Puerta-Cortés, Ibraín Enrique Corrales-Reyes, Raymundo CalderónBismarck Pinto Tapia, Walter L. Arias Gallegos, Olimpia Petzold

Faculty of Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Aims: Over the past 2 years, the vaccine conspiracy beliefs construct has been used in a number of different studies. These publications have assessed the determinants and outcomes of vaccine conspiracy beliefs using, in some cases, pooled data from different countries, and compared the results across these contexts. However, studies often do not consider measurement invariance as a necessary requirement for comparative analyses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the cross-cultural MI of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 12 Latin American countries. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory analysis and alignment method were applied to test measurement invariance in a large number of groups. Results: The COVID-VCBS showed robust psychometric properties and measurement invariance for both factor loadings and crosstabs. Also, a higher level of acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about vaccines is necessary to respond to higher response categories. Similarly, greater acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines was related to a lower intention to be vaccinated. Conclusion: The results allow for improved understanding of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines in the countries assessed; furthermore, they provide researchers and practitioners with an invariant measure that they can use in cross-cultural studies in Latin America. However, further studies are needed to test invariance in other countries, with the goal of developing a truly international measure of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines.

Original language	English
Article number	908720
Journal	Frontiers in Public Health
Volume	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.908720
State	Published - 14 Jun 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Caycho-Rodríguez, Valencia, Ventura-León, Vilca, Carbajal-León, Reyes-Bossio, White, Rojas-Jara, Polanco-Carrasco, Gallegos, Cervigni, Martino, Palacios, Moreta-Herrera, Samaniego-Pinho, Lobos-Rivera, Figares, Puerta-Cortés, Corrales-Reyes, Calderón, Tapia, Arias Gallegos and Petzold.

Keywords

COVID-19
Latin America
conspiracy beliefs
invariance
vaccines

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.3389/fpubh.2022.908720

Cite this

Caycho-Rodríguez, T., Valencia, P. D., Ventura-León, J., Vilca, L. W., Carbajal-León, C., Reyes-Bossio, M., White, M., Rojas-Jara, C., Polanco-Carrasco, R., Gallegos, M., Cervigni, M., Martino, P., Palacios, D. A., Moreta-Herrera, R., Samaniego-Pinho, A., Lobos-Rivera, M. E., Figares, A. B., Puerta-Cortés, D. X., Corrales-Reyes, I. E., ... Petzold, O. (2022). Design and Cross-Cultural Invariance of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 13 Latin American Countries. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, Article 908720. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.908720

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title = "Design and Cross-Cultural Invariance of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 13 Latin American Countries",

abstract = "Aims: Over the past 2 years, the vaccine conspiracy beliefs construct has been used in a number of different studies. These publications have assessed the determinants and outcomes of vaccine conspiracy beliefs using, in some cases, pooled data from different countries, and compared the results across these contexts. However, studies often do not consider measurement invariance as a necessary requirement for comparative analyses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the cross-cultural MI of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 12 Latin American countries. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory analysis and alignment method were applied to test measurement invariance in a large number of groups. Results: The COVID-VCBS showed robust psychometric properties and measurement invariance for both factor loadings and crosstabs. Also, a higher level of acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about vaccines is necessary to respond to higher response categories. Similarly, greater acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines was related to a lower intention to be vaccinated. Conclusion: The results allow for improved understanding of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines in the countries assessed; furthermore, they provide researchers and practitioners with an invariant measure that they can use in cross-cultural studies in Latin America. However, further studies are needed to test invariance in other countries, with the goal of developing a truly international measure of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines.",

keywords = "COVID-19, Latin America, conspiracy beliefs, invariance, vaccines",

author = "Tom{\'a}s Caycho-Rodr{\'i}guez and Valencia, {Pablo D.} and Jos{\'e} Ventura-Le{\'o}n and Vilca, {Lindsey W.} and Carlos Carbajal-Le{\'o}n and Mario Reyes-Bossio and Michael White and Claudio Rojas-Jara and Roberto Polanco-Carrasco and Miguel Gallegos and Mauricio Cervigni and Pablo Martino and Palacios, {Diego Alejandro} and Rodrigo Moreta-Herrera and Antonio Samaniego-Pinho and Lobos-Rivera, {Marlon El{\'i}as} and Figares, {Andr{\'e}s Buschiazzo} and Puerta-Cort{\'e}s, {Diana Ximena} and Corrales-Reyes, {Ibra{\'i}n Enrique} and Raymundo Calder{\'o}n and Tapia, {Bismarck Pinto} and {Arias Gallegos}, {Walter L.} and Olimpia Petzold",

note = "Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2022 Caycho-Rodr{\'i}guez, Valencia, Ventura-Le{\'o}n, Vilca, Carbajal-Le{\'o}n, Reyes-Bossio, White, Rojas-Jara, Polanco-Carrasco, Gallegos, Cervigni, Martino, Palacios, Moreta-Herrera, Samaniego-Pinho, Lobos-Rivera, Figares, Puerta-Cort{\'e}s, Corrales-Reyes, Calder{\'o}n, Tapia, Arias Gallegos and Petzold.",

year = "2022",

month = jun,

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doi = "10.3389/fpubh.2022.908720",

language = "English",

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Caycho-Rodríguez, T, Valencia, PD, Ventura-León, J, Vilca, LW, Carbajal-León, C, Reyes-Bossio, M, White, M, Rojas-Jara, C, Polanco-Carrasco, R, Gallegos, M, Cervigni, M, Martino, P, Palacios, DA, Moreta-Herrera, R, Samaniego-Pinho, A, Lobos-Rivera, ME, Figares, AB, Puerta-Cortés, DX, Corrales-Reyes, IE, Calderón, R, Tapia, BP, Arias Gallegos, WL & Petzold, O 2022, 'Design and Cross-Cultural Invariance of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 13 Latin American Countries', Frontiers in Public Health, vol. 10, 908720. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.908720

TY - JOUR

T1 - Design and Cross-Cultural Invariance of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 13 Latin American Countries

AU - Caycho-Rodríguez, Tomás

AU - Valencia, Pablo D.

AU - Ventura-León, José

AU - Vilca, Lindsey W.

AU - Carbajal-León, Carlos

AU - Reyes-Bossio, Mario

AU - White, Michael

AU - Rojas-Jara, Claudio

AU - Polanco-Carrasco, Roberto

AU - Gallegos, Miguel

AU - Cervigni, Mauricio

AU - Martino, Pablo

AU - Palacios, Diego Alejandro

AU - Moreta-Herrera, Rodrigo

AU - Samaniego-Pinho, Antonio

AU - Lobos-Rivera, Marlon Elías

AU - Figares, Andrés Buschiazzo

AU - Puerta-Cortés, Diana Ximena

AU - Corrales-Reyes, Ibraín Enrique

AU - Calderón, Raymundo

AU - Tapia, Bismarck Pinto

AU - Arias Gallegos, Walter L.

AU - Petzold, Olimpia

N1 - Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Caycho-Rodríguez, Valencia, Ventura-León, Vilca, Carbajal-León, Reyes-Bossio, White, Rojas-Jara, Polanco-Carrasco, Gallegos, Cervigni, Martino, Palacios, Moreta-Herrera, Samaniego-Pinho, Lobos-Rivera, Figares, Puerta-Cortés, Corrales-Reyes, Calderón, Tapia, Arias Gallegos and Petzold.

PY - 2022/6/14

Y1 - 2022/6/14

N2 - Aims: Over the past 2 years, the vaccine conspiracy beliefs construct has been used in a number of different studies. These publications have assessed the determinants and outcomes of vaccine conspiracy beliefs using, in some cases, pooled data from different countries, and compared the results across these contexts. However, studies often do not consider measurement invariance as a necessary requirement for comparative analyses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the cross-cultural MI of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 12 Latin American countries. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory analysis and alignment method were applied to test measurement invariance in a large number of groups. Results: The COVID-VCBS showed robust psychometric properties and measurement invariance for both factor loadings and crosstabs. Also, a higher level of acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about vaccines is necessary to respond to higher response categories. Similarly, greater acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines was related to a lower intention to be vaccinated. Conclusion: The results allow for improved understanding of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines in the countries assessed; furthermore, they provide researchers and practitioners with an invariant measure that they can use in cross-cultural studies in Latin America. However, further studies are needed to test invariance in other countries, with the goal of developing a truly international measure of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines.

AB - Aims: Over the past 2 years, the vaccine conspiracy beliefs construct has been used in a number of different studies. These publications have assessed the determinants and outcomes of vaccine conspiracy beliefs using, in some cases, pooled data from different countries, and compared the results across these contexts. However, studies often do not consider measurement invariance as a necessary requirement for comparative analyses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the cross-cultural MI of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 12 Latin American countries. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory analysis and alignment method were applied to test measurement invariance in a large number of groups. Results: The COVID-VCBS showed robust psychometric properties and measurement invariance for both factor loadings and crosstabs. Also, a higher level of acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about vaccines is necessary to respond to higher response categories. Similarly, greater acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines was related to a lower intention to be vaccinated. Conclusion: The results allow for improved understanding of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines in the countries assessed; furthermore, they provide researchers and practitioners with an invariant measure that they can use in cross-cultural studies in Latin America. However, further studies are needed to test invariance in other countries, with the goal of developing a truly international measure of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Latin America

KW - conspiracy beliefs

KW - invariance

KW - vaccines

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U2 - 10.3389/fpubh.2022.908720

DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2022.908720

M3 - Article

C2 - 35774567

AN - SCOPUS:85133282841

SN - 2296-2565

VL - 10

JO - Frontiers in Public Health

JF - Frontiers in Public Health

M1 - 908720

ER -

Design and Cross-Cultural Invariance of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 13 Latin American Countries

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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