Hesitancy in the Home: The Relationship between Family Communication Patterns and Willingness to Converse about Covid-19 Vaccination

Abstract

While family communication has repeatedly been found to be related to health decisions and outcomes, the role of family communication within the study of Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy has not received adequate attention. The present study (N = 1,005) assesses the relationship between family communication patterns and willingness to converse about the Covid-19 vaccine with a family member, while also considering trust in government as a moderator. Findings revealed that individuals coming from high conversation-oriented homes who are also younger, unvaccinated, and imagining the vaccine conversation with their mother or father (as opposed to other family members) were more willing to converse with a family member about the Covid-19 vaccine. Conformity orientation only negatively predicted such willingness to converse when moderated by age. Surprisingly, trust in government was not found to moderate the relationship between either family communication pattern orientation and willingness to converse about the Covid-19 vaccine. Theoretical implications relevant for family and health communication scholars and healthcare professionals designing vaccine messaging are discussed.