02258nas a2200217   4500000000100000008004100001260007600042653001200118653001500130653001100145653001400156653001600170100002800186700002800214245009600242300001000338490000700348520165700355022001402012020001402026       2026                            d  c01/2026bSociedad Española para el Estudio de la Ansiedad y el Estrés10aAnxiety10aDepression10aStress10aDenialism10aPersonality1 aLilia Mestas Hernández1 aFernando Gordillo León00aPost-COVID Denialism: A Cluster Analysis Based on Emotional Distress and Personality Traits  a11-180 v323 aDenialism during the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on adherence to preventive measures and contributed to confusion surrounding health information. In the post-COVID-19 stage, this attitude toward the pandemic remains latent and could be reactivated as a defense mechanism in response to new public health emergencies. For this reason, it would be useful to study the psychological profile of individuals who show a greater tendency toward denialism. The present study aimed to identify differentiated psychological profiles based on denialist thinking, emotional distress (stress, anxiety, depression), and personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion). A hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted with a sample of Mexican university students, identifying three distinct profiles. The first profile, Denialist – Stable, showed significantly higher levels of denialism compared to the other two groups, with average levels of emotional distress and neuroticism. The second profile, Extraverted – Stable, exhibited lower levels of emotional distress and neuroticism, and higher levels of extraversion than the other profiles. Lastly, the third profile, Neurotic – Vulnerable, was characterized by the highest levels of emotional distress and neuroticism. The results highlight the importance of considering denialism as part of a psychological pattern linked to personality traits and affective tendencies, with implications in public health emergency contexts. Furthermore, the need to implement mental health prevention strategies tailored to specific profiles is emphasized, particularly in emotionally demanding social situations.  a1134-7937  a2174-0437