The Characteristics And Influential Factors Research Of Cyberchondria

Cyberchondria is a symptom that individuals’level of anxiety exacerbated by excessive and repeatedly exposure to Internet-based disease and health information. The study systematically discussed the characteristics, influential factors and intervention of Cyberchondria. In study 1, Cyberchondria Scale was developed, its reliability and validity were tested. The study used this scale to explore the general characteristics of cyberchondria among 452 participants, and explored the difference in gender, age, education degree, family economic condition, BMI, the length of online each day, diseases history and so on. Meanwhile, six participants were interviewed to investigate the mental and behavioral performance, impact, and influential factors of Cyberchondria. In study 2,452 participants were assessed with Cyberchondria Scale(CS), The Short Health Anxiety Inventory(SHA1), Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale(IUS), Imperfect Anxiety Questionnaire(IAQ) and Maximization Scale(MS) to explore the relationship among health anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, perfectionism and cyberchondria. In study 3, one person was consulted by cognitive behavioral therapy, and the intervention effect was discussed. The conclusion of this study are as follows:(1)The general severity of cyberchondria was at a middle level. There was no significant difference in gender, age, education degree and BMI, while there was significant difference in family economic condition and diseases history. (2)Cyberchondria individuals’level of anxiety was increased, but they still continued searching. Cyberchondria had three influential factors: physical, mental and social aspects. (3)Cyberchondria had significant correlation with health anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty and perfectionism. (4)Intolerance of uncertainty played a mediating and moderating role on the relationships between health anxiety and cyberchondria, perfectionism mediated the relationships between health anxiety and cyberchondria. (5)Cognitive behavioral therapy was effective to reduce the severity of cyberchondria.