{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T17:55:37Z","timestamp":1781718937712,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781654400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"\n Objectives<\/jats:title>\n This study investigates prevalence, usage, and perceived scientific legitimacy of anthroposophic medicine (AM) a prominent form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). It further explores associations with socioeconomic and psychological factors, with particular attention to authoritarian orientation, as measured by the KSA-3 scale and low ambiguity tolerance.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Design\/Setting<\/jats:title>\n A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among the Austrian population assessing sociodemographic characteristics, healthcare utilization, attitudes toward conventional medicine, AM, and CAM, as well as selected psychological variables.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Participants<\/jats:title>\n A total of 429 individuals completed the survey. To enhance representativeness, the sample was post-stratified according to recent election results.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Outcome Measures<\/jats:title>\n Regression models and appropriate statistical tests, selected based on data distribution and scale level, were used to evaluate associations between sociodemographic factors, psychological characteristics, and the use of and attitudes toward AM and CAM.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Individuals over 50 showed higher CAM preference (p\u2009=\u20090.044), and were more likely to have used AM at least once (p\u2009=\u20090.083). Similarly, women showed higher CAM preferences (p\u2009=\u20090.004) and a higher likelihood of AM use (p\u2009<\u20090.001). Participants who viewed AM as scientific tended to be older (p\u2009<\u20090.001), have a higher income (p\u2009<\u20090.001), and resided more often in rural areas (p\u2009=\u20090.012). Psychologically, lower ambiguity tolerance and stronger perceived health control correlated with a stronger belief in AM\u2019s scientific legitimacy (p\u2009<\u20090.05). Higher authoritarian orientation was also significantly associated with an increased belief in AM as scientific and a preference for eminence-based approaches (p\u2009<\u20090.001).<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n In our sample, we demonstrate how differences in specific socioeconomic and psychological factors correspond to differences in attitudes toward CAM and AM. These findings represent a promising foundation for more interdisciplinary research aimed at uncovering the underlying drivers of AM and CAM utilization.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0348672","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T17:23:12Z","timestamp":1781716992000},"page":"e0348672","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Authoritarian attitudes and the perceived scientific legitimacy of anthroposophic medicine: A survey of attitudes on complementary and alternative medicine in Austria"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-5909-6578","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Nikolas","family":"Reisecker","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Julia","family":"Kuta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Levin","family":"Wieninger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5241-5206","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Sebastian R.","family":"Leonard","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Valentina","family":"Schmolik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anita","family":"Rieder","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tanja","family":"Stamm","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Edzard","family":"Ernst","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jutta","family":"H\u00fcbner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1339-7444","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Harald H.","family":"Sitte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8763-8215","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Valentin","family":"Ritschl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]]},"reference":[{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0348672.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.7453\/gahmj.2012.087","article-title":"Anthroposophic medicine: an integrative medical system originating in europe","volume":"2","author":"GS Kienle","year":"2013","journal-title":"Glob Adv Health Med"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0348672.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"375","DOI":"10.1159\/000511668","article-title":"100-year anniversary of anthroposophic medicine as an integrative medical system","volume":"27","author":"D Martin","year":"2020","journal-title":"Complement Med Res"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref003","volume-title":"Extending practical medicine: fundamental principles based on the science of the spirit","author":"R Steiner","year":"1996"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4628287","DOI":"10.1155\/2016\/4628287","article-title":"Intravenous mistletoe treatment in integrative cancer care: a qualitative study exploring the procedures, concepts, and observations of expert doctors","volume":"2016","author":"GS Kienle","year":"2016","journal-title":"Evid Based Complement Alternat Med"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0348672.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1016\/S2095-4964(15)60163-7","article-title":"A systematic literature review on the effectiveness of eurythmy therapy","volume":"13","author":"D L\u00f6tzke","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Integr Med"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6963-6-65","article-title":"Health costs in anthroposophic therapy users: a two-year prospective cohort study","volume":"6","author":"HJ Hamre","year":"2006","journal-title":"BMC Health Serv Res"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0348672.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"980","DOI":"10.1002\/pon.1175","article-title":"Art therapy improved depression and influenced fatigue levels in cancer patients on chemotherapy","volume":"16","author":"G Bar-Sela","year":"2007","journal-title":"Psychooncology"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref008"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref009","author":"Arztakademie"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref010","author":"Universit\u00e4t Witten\/Herdecke"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref011"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0348672.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"128","DOI":"10.1007\/BF03040749","article-title":"Anthroposophical medicine: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials","volume":"116","author":"E Ernst","year":"2004","journal-title":"Wien Klin Wochenschr"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0348672.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"705","DOI":"10.1089\/jicm.2022.0723","article-title":"The Effects of Anthroposophic Medicine in Chronic Pain Conditions: A Systematic Review","volume":"29","author":"M Ploesser","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Integr Complement Med"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref014","author":"D Savran","year":"2025"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref015","author":"Goetheanum"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref016","author":"OR Scholz","year":"2022"},{"issue":"64","key":"pone.0348672.ref017","article-title":"Is anthroposophy science?","volume":"25","author":"SO Hansson","year":"1991","journal-title":"Conceptus"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref018","article-title":"Science and pseudo-science.","volume-title":"The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy [Internet]","author":"SO Hansson","year":"2021"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0348672.ref019","first-page":"281","article-title":"Anthroposophical climate science denial","volume":"10","author":"SO Hansson","year":"2022","journal-title":"Crit Res Relig"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0348672.ref020","article-title":"The scientific credibility of anthroposophy","volume":"2","author":"J Schieren","year":"2011","journal-title":"RoSE Res Steiner Educ"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ctim.2018.04.010","article-title":"An assessment of the scientific status of anthroposophic medicine, applying criteria from the philosophy of science","volume":"40","author":"EW Baars","year":"2018","journal-title":"Complement Ther Med"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref022","author":"R Rose"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref023","author":"P Staudenmaier","year":"2010"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref024","first-page":"462","article-title":"Thesen gegen den Okkultismus","volume-title":"Minima Moralia: Reflexionen aus dem besch\u00e4digten Leben","author":"TW Adorno","year":"1951"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref025","volume-title":"The occult significance of blood","author":"R Steiner","year":"1999"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref026","volume-title":"From symptom to reality in modern history","author":"R Steiner","year":"2015"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref027","first-page":"653","article-title":"From obscurantists","volume-title":"Selected Writings","author":"BW Light","year":"1999"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref028","volume-title":"Das Prinzip Hoffnung","author":"E Bloch","year":"1954"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0348672.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"24","DOI":"10.1080\/00207411.1994.11449286","article-title":"Development of the WHOQOL: rationale and current status","volume":"23","author":"W Group","year":"1994","journal-title":"International J Mental Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0348672.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"160","DOI":"10.1177\/109019817800600107","article-title":"Development of the multidimensional health locus of control (MHLC) scales","volume":"6","author":"KA Wallston","year":"1978","journal-title":"Health Educ Monogr"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0348672.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1177\/109442810141004","article-title":"Validation of a new general self-efficacy scale","volume":"4","author":"G Chen","year":"2001","journal-title":"Organizational Research Methods"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"975","DOI":"10.2466\/PR0.105.3.975-988","article-title":"Evidence of the properties of an ambiguity tolerance measure: the Multiple Stimulus types ambiguity tolerance scale-II (MSTAT-II)","volume":"105","author":"DL McLain","year":"2009","journal-title":"Psychol Rep"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref033","author":"C Beierlein","year":"2014"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref034"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0348672.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.1186\/s12906-020-02903-w","article-title":"The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in Europe","volume":"20","author":"EL Fj\u00e6r","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Complement Med Ther"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref036","volume-title":"The authoritarian personality","author":"TW Adorno","year":"1950"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0348672.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-021-12432-x","article-title":"Vaccination, politics and COVID-19 impacts","volume":"22","author":"D Albrecht","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref038","volume-title":"The politics of vaccination: a global history","author":"C Holmberg","year":"2017"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"243","DOI":"10.1007\/s00508-020-01655-4","article-title":"Vaccine hesitancy: report of a student study group","volume":"132","author":"L Weitz","year":"2020","journal-title":"Wien Klin Wochenschr"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref040","first-page":"457","article-title":"Beitrag zur Ideologienlehre","volume-title":"Gesammelte Schriften","author":"TW Adorno","year":"2003"},{"key":"pone.0348672.ref041","volume-title":"Knowledge and social imagery","author":"D Bloor","year":"1991","edition":"2"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0348672","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T17:23:22Z","timestamp":1781717002000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0348672"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Jiajia","family":"Ye","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]]},"references-count":41,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0348672","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]]}}}