Psychometric Properties of Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) in Iranian Adult Population

Cyberchondria is a new form of hypochondria in that repetitive searching of online medical information increases anxiety and distress in people and continues with repetitive and inconclusive tries in reassurance seeking. Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) designed to diagnose this phenomenon in non-Iranian sample, but this scale not studied from validation view in Iranian population yet, so aim of this study was to evaluation of CSS psychometric properties in Iranian sample.

200 persons were chosen by convenience sampling method and answered to Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS 21) and Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI).

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed 4 Factors that except one of factors (reassurance/mistrust), other factors was same as original version of the scale. Internal consistency and validations of scale was approved (p < 0/001).

Based on findings, this scale recognize 4 factors in Iranian population: compulsion, reassurance/mistrust, excessiveness and distress and is useable in Iranian research and clinical cases.