Conceptualizations of Cyberchondria and Relations to the Anxiety Spectrum: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Publikationstyp:
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Metadaten:
Autoren
  • Sandra K Schenkel
  • Stefanie M Jungmann
  • Maria Gropalis
  • Michael Witthoeft
Autoren-URL
https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=fis-test-1&SrcAuth=WosAPI&KeyUT=WOS:000726143100002&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=WOS_CPL
DOI
10.2196/27835
Externe Identifier
  • Clarivate Analytics Document Solution ID: XI5HS
  • PubMed Identifier: 34792473
ISSN
1438-8871
Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung
11
Zeitschrift
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
Schlüsselwörter
  • cyberchondria
  • health anxiety
  • online health information seeking
  • anxiety
  • systematic review
  • meta-analysis
Artikelnummer
ARTN e27835
Datum der Veröffentlichung
2021
Status
Published
Titel
Conceptualizations of Cyberchondria and Relations to the Anxiety Spectrum: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Sub types
  • Review
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
23

Datenquelle: Web of Science (Lite)

Andere Metadatenquellen:
Abstract
<jats:sec> <jats:title>Background</jats:title> <jats:p>Cyberchondria describes the detrimental effects of health-related internet use. Current conceptualizations agree that cyberchondria is associated with anxiety-related pathologies and may best be conceptualized as a safety behavior; however, little is known about its exact underlying mechanisms.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Objective</jats:title> <jats:p>This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to give an overview of the conceptualizations of cyberchondria and its relation to anxiety-related pathologies, quantify the strength of association to health anxiety by using meta-analyses, highlight gaps in the literature, and outline a hypothetical integrative cognitive-behavioral model of cyberchondria based on the available empirical evidence.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO electronic databases. A total of 25 studies were included for qualitative synthesis and 7 studies, comprising 3069 individuals, were included for quantitative synthesis. The meta-analysis revealed a strong association of cyberchondria (r=0.63) and its subfacets (r=0.24-0.66) with health anxiety.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results</jats:title> <jats:p>The results indicate that cyberchondria is a distinct construct 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.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title> <jats:p>Health-related internet use in the context of health anxiety is best conceptualized as health-related safety behavior maintained through intermittent reinforcement. Here, we present a corresponding integrative cognitive-behavioral model.</jats:p> </jats:sec>
Autoren
  • Sandra K Schenkel
  • Stefanie M Jungmann
  • Maria Gropalis
  • Michael Witthöft
DOI
10.2196/27835
eISSN
1438-8871
Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung
11
Zeitschrift
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Sprache
en
Online publication date
2021
Paginierung
e27835 - e27835
Status
Published online
Herausgeber
JMIR Publications Inc.
Herausgeber URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/27835
Datum der Datenerfassung
2021
Titel
Conceptualizations of Cyberchondria and Relations to the Anxiety Spectrum: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
23

Datenquelle: Crossref

Abstract
<h4>Background</h4>Cyberchondria describes the detrimental effects of health-related internet use. Current conceptualizations agree that cyberchondria is associated with anxiety-related pathologies and may best be conceptualized as a safety behavior; however, little is known about its exact underlying mechanisms.<h4>Objective</h4>This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to give an overview of the conceptualizations of cyberchondria and its relation to anxiety-related pathologies, quantify the strength of association to health anxiety by using meta-analyses, highlight gaps in the literature, and outline a hypothetical integrative cognitive-behavioral model of cyberchondria based on the available empirical evidence.<h4>Methods</h4>A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO electronic databases. A total of 25 studies were included for qualitative synthesis and 7 studies, comprising 3069 individuals, were included for quantitative synthesis. The meta-analysis revealed a strong association of cyberchondria (r=0.63) and its subfacets (r=0.24-0.66) with health anxiety.<h4>Results</h4>The results indicate that cyberchondria is a distinct construct 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.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Health-related internet use in the context of health anxiety is best conceptualized as health-related safety behavior maintained through intermittent reinforcement. Here, we present a corresponding integrative cognitive-behavioral model.
Addresses
  • Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Experimental Psychopathology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Autoren
  • Sandra K Schenkel
  • Stefanie M Jungmann
  • Maria Gropalis
  • Michael Witthöft
DOI
10.2196/27835
eISSN
1438-8871
Externe Identifier
  • PubMed Identifier: 34792473
  • PubMed Central ID: PMC8663695
Open access
true
ISSN
1439-4456
Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung
11
Zeitschrift
Journal of medical Internet research
Schlüsselwörter
  • Humans
  • Uncertainty
  • Anxiety
  • Concept Formation
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Hypochondriasis
  • Internet
Sprache
eng
Medium
Electronic
Online publication date
2021
Open access status
Open Access
Paginierung
e27835
Datum der Veröffentlichung
2021
Status
Published
Publisher licence
CC BY
Datum der Datenerfassung
2021
Titel
Conceptualizations of Cyberchondria and Relations to the Anxiety Spectrum: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Sub types
  • Meta-Analysis
  • Systematic Review
  • review-article
  • Review
  • Journal Article
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
23

Datenquelle: Europe PubMed Central

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cyberchondria describes the detrimental effects of health-related internet use. Current conceptualizations agree that cyberchondria is associated with anxiety-related pathologies and may best be conceptualized as a safety behavior; however, little is known about its exact underlying mechanisms. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to give an overview of the conceptualizations of cyberchondria and its relation to anxiety-related pathologies, quantify the strength of association to health anxiety by using meta-analyses, highlight gaps in the literature, and outline a hypothetical integrative cognitive-behavioral model of cyberchondria based on the available empirical evidence. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO electronic databases. A total of 25 studies were included for qualitative synthesis and 7 studies, comprising 3069 individuals, were included for quantitative synthesis. The meta-analysis revealed a strong association of cyberchondria (r=0.63) and its subfacets (r=0.24-0.66) with health anxiety. RESULTS: The results indicate that cyberchondria is a distinct construct 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 health-related safety behavior maintained through intermittent reinforcement. Here, we present a corresponding integrative cognitive-behavioral model.
Date of acceptance
2021
Autoren
  • Sandra K Schenkel
  • Stefanie M Jungmann
  • Maria Gropalis
  • Michael Witthöft
Autoren-URL
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34792473
DOI
10.2196/27835
eISSN
1438-8871
Externe Identifier
  • PubMed Central ID: PMC8663695
Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung
11
Zeitschrift
J Med Internet Res
Schlüsselwörter
  • anxiety
  • cyberchondria
  • health anxiety
  • meta-analysis
  • online health information seeking
  • systematic review
  • Anxiety
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Concept Formation
  • Humans
  • Hypochondriasis
  • Internet
  • Uncertainty
Sprache
eng
Country
Canada
Paginierung
e27835
PII
v23i11e27835
Datum der Veröffentlichung
2021
Status
Published online
Datum, an dem der Datensatz öffentlich gemacht wurde
2021
Titel
Conceptualizations of Cyberchondria and Relations to the Anxiety Spectrum: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Sub types
  • Journal Article
  • Meta-Analysis
  • Review
  • Systematic Review
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
23

Datenquelle: PubMed

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