The Short Health Anxiety Inventory: Psychometric Properties and Construct Validity in a Non-clinical Sample

• Published in: Cognitive therapy and research Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 871 - 883
• Main Authors: Abramowitz, Jonathan S., Deacon, Brett J., Valentiner, David P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.12.2007; Springer Nature B.V; Springer US
• Subjects: Anxiety; Anxiety disorders; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Hypochondria; Illnesses; Medical sciences; Original; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychometrics. Diagnostic aid systems; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Quantitative psychology; Techniques and methods; Validation studies; Validity; Vigilance; United States > US; Human; Affect affectivity; Factor analysis; Questionnaire; Discriminant validity; Healthy subject; Health; Hypochondriasis; Internal consistency; Psychometrics; Cognition; Test reliability; Test validation; Construct validity; Cognitive-behavioral model; Cognitive theory; Behavioral analysis; Somatoform disorder; Anxiety; Hypochondria; Predictive validity; Health anxiety
• ISSN: 0147-5916; 1573-2819
• DOI: 10.1007/s10608-006-9058-1

Contemporary conceptualizations of hypochondriasis (HC) as severe health anxiety have led to the development of cognitive-behavioral approaches to understanding, assessing, and treating this problem. The Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI) is a new instrument that measures cognitive factors associated with HC. In the present study, we examined the psychometric properties and factor structure of the SHAI in a large sample of medically healthy university students. We also examined the scale's convergent, divergent, and predictive validity. Results indicated that the SHAI has good psychometric properties and contains three factors that assess the perceived likelihood and perceived severity of becoming ill, and body vigilance. Facets of health anxiety uniquely predicted increased safety-seeking behavior and medical utilization, behaviors that are commonly observed in HC. Results are discussed in terms of the cognitive-behavioral model of HC.