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Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment

Gepubliceerd in:

17-05-2019

The Development and Validation of the Short Cyberchondria Scale (SCS)

Auteurs: Nataša Jokić-Begić, Una Mikac, Doris Čuržik, Claire Sangster Jokić

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment | Uitgave 4/2019

Abstract

Assessment tools for measuring cyberchondria, a process of increased anxiety over one’s health as a result of excessive online searching, are still in the early stages of development. The goals of the present study were to develop a short cyberchondria scale and to evaluate its structure, reliability and validity among participants from a community sample. The analyses conducted in this study were based on data from three samples (N₁ = 540; N₂ = 379; N₃ = 594) that were recruited online via a snowball method. Participants provided demographic information and completed the Short Cyberchondria Scale (SCS) as well as three comparison measures (Cyberchondria Severity Scale, Anxiety Sensitivity Index and Health Anxiety Questionnaire) via an online survey tool. Extensive analyses were performed in order to inspect various aspects of the validity of the new SCS scale, including its factor structure, measurement invariance and convergent validity. The findings of the present study suggest that the SCS is a satisfactory instrument for measuring cyberchondria.

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Titel: The Development and Validation of the Short Cyberchondria Scale (SCS)
Auteurs: Nataša Jokić-Begić
Una Mikac
Doris Čuržik
Claire Sangster Jokić
Publicatiedatum: 17-05-2019
Uitgeverij: Springer US
Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment / Uitgave 4/2019
Print ISSN: 0882-2689
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-3505
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-019-09744-z

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