title: Anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty as potential risk factors for cyberchondria: A replication and extension examining dimensions of each construct.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preliminary findings suggest that anxiety sensitivity (AS) and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) may confer vulnerability for cyberchondria, defined as repeated internet searches for medical information that exacerbates health anxiety. Prior studies are limited because it remains unclear whether specific AS or IU dimensions differentially relate to certain cyberchondria dimensions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study examined associations among AS, IU, and cyberchondria dimensions using a sample of community adults (N = 578) located in the United States.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As predicted, physical AS and inhibitory IU were the only AS or IU dimensions to share unique associations with the distress cyberchondria dimension after controlling for the overlap among the AS dimensions, IU dimensions, and health anxiety. Cognitive AS and social AS unexpectedly evidenced unique associations with cyberchondria dimensions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results are limited by the cross-sectional study design and use of a community, rather than clinical, sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence that specific AS and IU dimensions may confer vulnerability to certain cyberchondria dimensions. Further clarifying associations among AS, IU, and cyberchondria may lead to improvements in our conceptualization and, ultimately, treatment of cyberchondria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University Waco, TX 76798, United States. Electronic address: Thomas_Fergus@baylor.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Fergus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000523:psychology*; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D035501:Uncertainty; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety sensitivity; Cyberchondria; Health anxiety; Intolerance of uncertainty