要請緩和後の脱マスクへの抵抗における不安要因の検討¹

抄録

The purpose of this study was to create a scale to measure anxiety about mask removal after the government eased restrictions in Japan, and to examine the scale's relationship with resistance to mask removal. An online survey was conducted with 914 participants, of which 810 were valid. Three factors about anxiety related to mask removal were identified through the survey: “anxiety about being seen without a mask,” “social anxiety about not wearing a mask,” and “anxiety about being infected with COVID-19 or other diseases.” The study confirmed the reliability and validity of the scale to a certain extent. It also explored the correlation between each anxiety factor and resistance to mask removal. The results showed a positive correlation between all three factors identified among both men and women. The study suggested that in Japan, anxieties related to mask removal may lead to resistance when the decision to wear a mask is left to an individual's judgment, regardless of gender.