Psychological and experiential drivers of vaccine confidence after compliance

[en] Background: Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine confidence have been widely studied among unvaccinated individuals, but less is known about factors shaping confidence among those already vaccinated. Methods: We conducted an online survey (December 2021) among 3171 fully vaccinated French-speaking adults in Belgium. Vaccine confidence (1–9 scale) was analyzed using stepwise regression including health variables, fear of COVID-19, and personality traits. Results: Higher confidence was associated with comorbidities, fear of COVID-19, conventionalism, and authoritarian submission. Lower confidence was associated with self-reported adverse events and conspiracy beliefs. Psychological and experiential factors showed stronger associations than health characteristics alone. Conclusions: Vaccine confidence remains heterogeneous among vaccinated individuals and is shaped by both psychological traits and post-vaccination experiences. These findings suggest that vaccine confidence is not a static attitude but a dynamic construct that remains associated with individual beliefs, emotional responses, and post-vaccination experiences. Addressing safety concerns and fostering trust may be essential to sustain engagement in ongoing vaccination programs.

Disciplines :

Public health, health care sciences & services
Social, industrial & organizational psychology

Author, co-author :

Vermeulen, Nicolas

Servais, Olivier

Jidovsteff, Boris; ULiège - Université de Liège

Paul, Elisabeth ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de droit > Droit fiscal

Language :

English

Title :

Psychological and experiential drivers of vaccine confidence after compliance

Publication date :

August 2026

Journal title :

Vaccine: X

eISSN :

2590-1362

Publisher :

Elsevier BV

Pages :

100880

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S2590136226001038?httpAccept=text/xml

Available on ORBi :

since 19 August 2026

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