Measuring Parents’ Vaccination Attitudes: Psychometric Properties of Turkish Version of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination Scale

Background: Despite the important role of vaccines in preventing disease and disability of children each year, vaccine hesitancy and refusal among parents are increasing. This threatens child and public health in terms of the recurrence of eradicated diseases, such as pertussis, measles, and polio.

Aims: The study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the vaccination attitudes examination (VAX-TR) scale.

Methods: In this methodological study, VAX-TR was administered to 138 Turkish parents aged 25–63 (M = 35.39; Standard deviations = 6.67). The original vaccine attitudes scale translated into Turkish using translation/back-translation method. Descriptive statistics were analyzed, content validity index was calculated, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value and Bartlett’s sphericity test were examined for the sampling adequacy. The explanatory (explanatory factor analysis [EFA]) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed for structure validity. Cronbach’s alpha value and item-total score correlations were evaluated for internal consistency.

Results: Cronbach alpha internal consistency coefficient of the scale was 86. The total variance disclosure rate for four factors (mistrust of vaccine benefit, worries about unforeseen future effects, concerns about commercial profiteering, and preference for natural immunity) was found to be 69.6%. The results of the KMO test and Bartlett’s test were statistically significant. Validating factor analysis compatibility values were χ2: 60.858, DF = 48, χ2/DF = 1.27, root mean squared error approximation = 0.044, root mean square residual = 0.063, standardized root mean square residual  = 0.064, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.93, adjusted goodness of fit index  = 0.89, CFI = 0.98, and normed fit index = 0.94.

Conclusion: The VAX-TR seems to be a valid tool to evaluate vaccination attitudes and hesitancy in the Turkish parents with children aged 0–18 years.