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The Assessment of Cyberchondria: Instruments for Assessing Problematic Online Health-Related Research

  • Technology Addiction (J Billieux, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Cyberchondria is a problematic, i.e. distressing or anxiety-increasing pattern of online health information seeking. The development of psychometrically sound instruments for the assessment of cyberchondria is imperative for better understanding of this construct. The aim of the present article is to provide a systematic literature review of cyberchondria instruments.

Recent Findings

Although several measures of cyberchondria have been developed, the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) has been used most often. The CSS is based on a solid theoretical framework, with very good to excellent reliability and validity. It has been translated into several languages. Modifications of the original version of the CSS have been introduced to refine its conceptual foundation and improve its utility by making it shorter.

Summary

Further improvement of the CSS may boost the quality of cyberchondria research. There remains a need to test the theoretical underpinnings of the CSS and consider alternative models of cyberchondria.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School, Nepean Clinical School, Discipline of Psychiatry, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Vladan Starcevic

  2. University of Technology Sydney, Graduate School of Health, Discipline of Clinical Psychology, Ultimo, NSW, Australia

    David Berle

  3. University of New South Wales, School of Psychiatry, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    David Berle

  4. University of Valencia, Facultad de Psicología, Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamientos Psicológicos, Valencia, Spain

    Sandra Arnáez

  5. University of Milan, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Department of Mental Health, Milan, Italy

    Matteo Vismara

  6. University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK

    Naomi A. Fineberg

  7. Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, Welwyn Garden City, UK

    Naomi A. Fineberg

  8. University of Cambridge, School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, UK

    Naomi A. Fineberg

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  1. Vladan Starcevic
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  2. David Berle
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  3. Sandra Arnáez
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  5. Naomi A. Fineberg
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Correspondence to Vladan Starcevic.

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Starcevic, V., Berle, D., Arnáez, S. et al. The Assessment of Cyberchondria: Instruments for Assessing Problematic Online Health-Related Research. Curr Addict Rep 7, 149–165 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-020-00308-w

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