Work

Cyberchondria and its measurement. The Polish adaptation and psychometric properties of the Cyberchondria Severity Scale CSS-PL

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper is a presentation of the adaptation process of the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (SCC) to measure cyberchondria and verification of reliability and construct validities of the test in the Polish population. METHODS: The study included 380 participants (203 women and 177 men) aged 19-68 (M = 26.5; SD = 11.1). The CSS-PL was used to measure cyberchondria, the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI) for measuring hypochondria, and the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS) to verify obsessive-compulsive tendencies. RESULTS: Four-factor structure of cyberchondria measured with the CSS-PL was supported. Internal consistency indices of the CSS-PL were between 0.87 and 0.95, test-retest reliability results were 0.58-0.76. This study demonstrated construct validity of the CSS-PL via its correlations with health anxiety (r = 0.31-0.56) and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (r = 0.17-0.48). CONCLUSIONS: The CSS-PL is an initial standardized version of an instrument for measuring cyberchondria and meets the psychometric criteria of reliability and validity for psychological testing tools. The CSS-PL may be used both in diagnostic and scientific research.

Source: Psychiatria Polska

DOI: 10.12740/pp/81799

Authors: Beata Bajcar, Jolanta Babiak, Agnieszka Olchowska-Kotala

Institutions: Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw Medical University

Language: Polish

Topic: Health Literacy and Information Accessibility

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W2922150744

FWCI: 8.371

Cites: 16

Cited by: 66

Related to: 10