Hypochondriacal concerns, symptom reporting and secondary gain mechanisms.
Hypochondriacal concerns (HCs) and somatic symptom reporting (SSR) are associated. However, HCs are believed to be linked to the ego-defence coping strategy of avoiding help and SSR is believed to be linked to secondary gain. One hundred and twenty undergraduate students completed measures of HCs, SSR and the Desire for Control (DC) Scale. Subscales of the DC scale were used as indices of help avoidance and secondary gain. Both hierarchical multiple linear regression and LISREL structural modelling were used to control for the confound between HCs and SSR and explore the links with help avoidance and secondary gain. HCs were found to be primarily associated with an increased desire to strive for independence (avoid help) and levels of SSR were associated with the desire to have others make decisions (secondary gain).
Ferguson
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WHO Collaborating Centre for Organizational Health & Development, Department of Psychology, University of Nottingham, UK.
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004532:Ego; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000523:psychology*