Conceptualizations of ‘cyberchondria’ and relations to the anxiety spectrum: A systematic review and meta-analyses (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Kathrin Schenkel ◽  
Stefanie M. Jungmann ◽  
Maria Gropalis ◽  
Michael Witthoeft
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Health Anxiety ◽  
Behavioral Model ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Safety Behavior ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Model ◽  
Meta Analyses

BACKGROUND “Cyberchondria” describes detrimental effects of health-related Internet use. Current conceptualizations agree that cyberchondria is associated with anxiety-related pathologies and might best be conceptualized as a safety behavior, but little is known about its exact underlying mechanisms. OBJECTIVE The present systematic review and meta-analyses were conducted (a) to give an overview of conceptualizations of cyberchondria and its relation to anxiety-related pathologies, (b) to quantify the strength of association to health anxiety by using meta-analytic analyses, and (c) to highlight gaps in the literature, and (d) to outline a hypothetical integrative cognitive-behavioral model of cyberchondria based on the available empirical evidence. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycInfo electronic databases. N = 25 studies were included for the qualitative and n = 7 studies, comprising N = 3,069 individuals, for the quantitative synthesis. Meta-analyses revealed a strong association of cyberchondria (r = .63) and its subfacets (rs = .24 - .66) to health anxiety. RESULTS Results indicate that cyberchondria is a construct distinct, yet related to, health anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, intolerance of uncertainty, and anxiety sensitivity. Further studies should distinguish between state and trait markers of anxiety-related pathologies and use experimental and naturalistic longitudinal designs to differentiate among risk factors, triggers, and consequences related to cyberchondria. CONCLUSIONS Health-related Internet use in the context of health anxiety is best conceptualized as a health-related safety behavior maintained through intermittent reinforcement. We present a corresponding integrative cognitive-behavioral model.

Applying a cognitive behavioral model of health anxiety in a cancer genetics service.

2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharine A. Rimes ◽  
Paul M. Salkovskis ◽  
Linda Jones ◽  
Anneke M. Lucassen
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Genetics ◽  
Health Anxiety ◽  
Behavioral Model ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Model

A Behavioral-Genetic Analysis of Health Anxiety: Implications for the Cognitive-Behavioral Model of Hypochondriasis

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Taylor ◽  
Kerry L. Jang ◽  
Murray B. Stein ◽  
Gordon J. G. Asmundson
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Health Anxiety ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Behavioral Model ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Data Set ◽  
University Of British Columbia ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Model

The leading contemporary cognitive-behavioral model of excessive health anxiety (HA) emphasizes the importance of environmental factors, such as learning experiences. The model has little to say about the role of genetic factors and, by ignoring these factors, seems to imply that they are unimportant. In contrast, results from the University of British Columbia Twin Study, using a sample of 88 monozygotic and 65 dizygotic twin pairs, indicated that various facets of HA, such as excessive disease fear, unrealistic beliefs that one has a serious disease, and HA-related interference in functioning, are moderately heritable. The present study extended the analyses of this data set by investigating the extent to which the various facets of HA are due to genetic or environmental factors that are common to all facets versus specific to each facet. Results indicated that all facets of HA are influenced by a common set of genes—there was very little evidence of facet-specific genetic influences. There was considerably stronger evidence for facet-specific environmental influences, where each facet is strongly influenced by environmental experiences that are specific to that facet. However, there was also evidence that particular environmental influences—especially those that shape disease conviction—also influence some of the other HA facets (fear and interference). The importance of environmental factors is consistent with the cognitive-behavioral model of HA, although the model needs to be refined to account for the role of genetic factors. Possibilities for refining the model are discussed, along with promising research directions to better understand the role of genes and the environment in HA.

scholarly journals Gender Differences in and the Relationships Between Social Anxiety and Problematic Internet Use: Canonical Analysis (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Baloğlu ◽  
Hatice İrem Özteke Kozan ◽  
Şahin Kesici
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Canonical Correlation ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Behavioral Model ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Problematic Internet Use ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Model

BACKGROUND The cognitive-behavioral model of problematic Internet use (PIU) proposes that psychological well-being is associated with specific thoughts and behaviors on the Internet. Hence, there is growing concern that PIU is associated with psychological impairments. OBJECTIVE Given the proposal of gender schema theory and social role theory, men and women are predisposed to experience social anxiety and engage in Internet use differently. Thus, an investigation of gender differences in these areas is warranted. According to the cognitive-behavioral model of PIU, social anxiety is associated with specific cognitions and behaviors on the Internet. Thus, an investigation of the association between social anxiety and PIU is essential. In addition, research that takes into account the multidimensional nature of social anxiety and PIU is lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to explore multivariate gender differences in and the relationships between social anxiety and PIU. METHODS Participants included 505 college students, of whom 241 (47.7%) were women and 264 (52.3%) were men. Participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 22 years, with a mean age of 20.34 (SD=1.16). The Social Anxiety Scale and Problematic Internet Use Scale were used in data collection. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and canonical correlation analysis were used. RESULTS Mean differences between men and women were not statistically significant in social anxiety (λ=.02, F3,501=2.47, P=.06). In all three PIU dimensions, men scored higher than women, and MANOVA shows that multivariate difference was statistically significant (λ=.94, F3,501=10.69, P<.001). Of the canonical correlation functions computed for men, only the first was significant (Rc=.43, λ=.78, χ29=64.7, P<.001) and accounted for 19% of the overlapping variance. Similarly, only the first canonical function was significant for women (Rc=.36, λ=.87, χ29=33.9, P<.001), which accounted for 13% of the overlapping variance. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of the findings, we conclude that enhanced educational opportunities for women and their increasing role in the society have led women to become more active and thus closed the gap in social anxiety levels between men and women. We found that men showed more difficulties than women in terms of running away from personal problems (ie, social benefit), used the Internet more excessively, and experienced more interpersonal problems with significant others due to Internet use. We conclude that men are under a greater risk of social impairments due to PIU. Our overall conclusion is that there is a substantial amount of association between social anxiety and PIU and the association is stronger for men than it is for women. We advise that future research continue to investigate PIU and social anxiety as multidimensional constructs.

Health anxiety among older people: an exploratory study of health anxiety and safety behaviors in a cohort of older adults in New Zealand

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann F. Boston ◽  
Paul L. Merrick
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Older People ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Health Anxiety ◽  
Behavioral Model ◽  
Medical Utilization ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Safety Behaviors ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Model

ABSTRACTBackground: Despite a stereotype that characterizes older people as excessively anxious about their health, there is little research into this phenomenon. The present exploratory study examined: (a) whether a cohort of older adults was unduly health anxious, (b) which demographic and health factors predicted health anxiety (HA), and (c) whether an aspect of the cognitive behavioral model of HA was applicable to older adults by investigating the relationship between HA and safety behaviors.Method: Participants were a convenience sample of adults aged over 65 and living independently in Auckland, New Zealand. Participants (104 women and 41 men) completed an anonymous self-report questionnaire measuring demographic factors, physical health and function, health anxiety, safety behaviors, and medical utilization.Results: This cohort of adults over 65 were not unduly health anxious. Occurrence of severe HA was similar to that found in younger populations. Decreased physical function and lower education predicted scores on the HA measure. Consistent with the cognitive behavioral model, HA was a unique significant predictor of safety behaviors. HA and decreased physical function predicted medical utilization.Conclusions: Generally low levels of HA among this cohort of older individuals challenged the pervasive stereotype of the “hypochondriacal” older person. Factors contributing to HA were similar to those reported in studies with younger cohorts. Findings provided preliminary support for the applicability of the cognitive behavioral model of HA to adults over 65. Implications of the findings and directions for future research were discussed.

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