Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36549021›Full record

ArticlePublic health2023

Conspiracy mentality and health-related behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multiwave survey in Italy.

V Candini, S Brescianini, F Chiarotti, C Zarbo, M Zamparini, M Caserotti, T Gavaruzzi, P Girardi, L Lotto, A Tasso and 3 more

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Public health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

V CandiniUnit of Epidemiological Psychiatry and Evaluation, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.
S BrescianiniCentre for Behavioral Science and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
F ChiarottiCentre for Behavioral Science and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
C ZarboUnit of Epidemiological Psychiatry and Evaluation, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.
M ZampariniUnit of Epidemiological Psychiatry and Evaluation, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.
M CaserottiDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Italy.
T GavaruzziDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Italy; Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna.
P GirardiDepartment of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna; Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Venezia, Italy.
L LottoDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Italy.
A TassoDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Venezia, Italy; Department of Humanities, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
F StaraceDepartment of Humanities, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; Department of Mental Health and Drug Abuse, Azienda Unitá Sanitaria Locale (AUSL) Modena, Modena, Italy.
G CalamandreiCentre for Behavioral Science and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
G de GirolamoUnit of Epidemiological Psychiatry and Evaluation, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy. Electronic address: gdegirolamo@fatebenefratelli.eu.
Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli · ITIstituto Superiore di Sanità · ITUniversity of Padua · ITCa' Foscari University of Venice · ITUniversity of Ferrara · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study aimed to (1) explore the changes in conspiracy mentality across the four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) assess the relationship between conspirative mentality and psychological/behavioural variables; (3) identify the predictors of conspirative mentality; and (4) explore the effect of conspirative mentality on COVID-19 protective behaviour. STUDY

designThis was a multiwave survey.

methodsA total of 10,013 Italian individuals, aged 18-70 years, were assessed across the four waves (from January to May 2021) through online survey. We collected information about the sociodemographic characteristics of participants, personal experiences of COVID-19 infection, trust, COVID-19 protective behaviours, COVID-19 risk perception, arousal, auto-efficacy, resilience and well-being. Conspiracy mentality was assessed with the Conspiracy Mentality Questionnaire. The statistical analyses included exploratory factorial analyses, Pearson correlations and multiple linear regressions.

resultsThe conspiracy mentality score during the COVID-19 pandemic was medium-high (mean 59.0 on a 0-100 scale) and slightly increased from 58.2 to 59.9 across months, in parallel with a slight decrease in trust in health institutions and scientific informational sources. Individuals aged >35 years, poorly educated and particularly scared about their financial situation were at risk of showing higher levels of conspirative mentality. Higher levels of conspirative mentality were risk factors for low levels of COVID-19 protective behaviours.

conclusionsClear and effective communication may improve trust in health institutions and informational sources, decrease conspirative theories and increase compliance with protective behaviour.

Indexed as

COVID-19PandemicsHealth BehaviorHumansItalyTrustBeliefsConspiracyCOVID-19Health behaviourTrust

Identifiers

PMID36549021
PMCPMC9673006
OpenAlexW4309627187

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.