Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40211275›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Impact of Dark Triad personality traits on COVID-19 vaccination uptake and prevention efforts: insights from the European Covid Survey (ECOS).

Sophia Bock, Sebastian Neumann-Böhme, Petra Steinorth

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Influence of Dark Triad Personality on Attitudes Toward Brain Death, Organ Donation, and Futile Therapy.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2026
    Article
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

3 authors.

Sophia BockInstitute for Risk Management and Insurance, University of Hamburg, Moorweidenstraße 18, 20148, Hamburg, Germany. sophia.bock@uni-hamburg.de.
Sebastian Neumann-BöhmeHamburg Center for Health Economics, University of Hamburg, Esplanade 36, 20354, Hamburg, Germany.
Petra SteinorthInstitute for Risk Management and Insurance, University of Hamburg, Moorweidenstraße 18, 20148, Hamburg, Germany.

Funding

German Research Foundation (DFG) 466310982Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme of the European Union through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement 721402
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEven though the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out in general can be considered as one of the most successful public health campaigns in the history of medicine, general vaccination hesitancy has remained an issue of concern throughout the world. We add to a deeper understanding of vaccination hesitancy by identifying what drives primary vaccination and booster uptake, as well as adherence to simple preventive measures such as physical distancing by investigating the role of Dark Triad personality traits, i.e. Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy.

methodsWe investigate data from Germany and the United Kingdom from the European Covid Survey which was collected from 23 December 2021 to 10 January 2022. Logit regressions and random effects regressions were performed to study the effect of dark personality traits on COVID-19-related prevention.

resultsWe find a statistically significant association between Dark Triad personality traits and prevention efforts, primary vaccinations, and booster uptake against COVID-19. Specifically, individuals scoring high in psychopathy are associated with a lower likelihood of having received primary immunization. The marginal effect amounts to 3.31%-points. High narcissistic personality traits are correlated with a substantially higher likelihood (4.52%-points) to refuse booster shots after having received the primary vaccinations. Dark Triad personality traits may be relevant factors associated with vaccine-related decision-making. In addition, individuals with higher psychopathic tendencies report significantly lower engagement in other simple preventive behavior, while higher scores in narcissism are associated with higher reported adherence to simple preventive measures.

conclusionsOur findings highlight the crucial role that personality plays in pandemic-related prevention. Policymakers, health professionals, and those in charge of health messaging may take these factors into account when devising communication strategies to improve the vaccination uptake and adherence to preventive behaviors. Future pandemics and public health crises would benefit from targeted, nuanced approaches to public health messaging to promote greater public adherence and public health.

Indexed as

Antisocial Personality DisorderCOVID-19COVID-19 VaccinesMachiavellianismNarcissismVaccinationVaccination HesitancyAdolescentAdultFemaleGermanyHumansMaleMiddle AgedSARS-CoV-2Surveys and QuestionnairesCOVID-19 VaccinesDark Triad personality traitsDecision-making under riskDemand for vaccinesPreventive behaviorPublic healthSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID40211275
PMCPMC11984049

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.