Conceptualizations of Cyberchondria and Relations to the Anxiety Spectrum: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
- Publication type:
- Journal article
- Metadata:
-
- 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
Data source: Web of Science (Lite)
- Other metadata sources:
-
- 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
Data source: 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
Data source: 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
Data source: PubMed
- Beziehungen:
- Property of