The Effects of Engaging Vaccine Misinformation via Social Media on Mental Health

Medical misinformation is a contributing factor in the decline of global vaccination acceptance. This between-group repeated measures manipulation study attempted to investigate whether a relationship exists between vaccine misinformation and positive and negative affect. The hypothesis was that engagement with vaccine misinformation found on social media led to increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions when controlling for overall stress, anxiety, and depression levels in emerging adults. The results did not present any significant relationships.