A taxometric analysis of health anxiety
- 19 May 2008
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Psychological Medicine
- Vol. 39 (2), 277-285
- https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291708003322
Abstract
Background: A long-standing issue in the health anxiety literature is the extent to which health anxiety is a dimensional or a categorical construct. This study explores this question directly using taxometric procedures.Method: Seven hundred and eleven working adults completed an index of health anxiety [the Whiteley Index (WI)] and indicated their current health status. Data from those who were currently healthy (n=501) and receiving no medical treatment were examined using three taxometric procedures: mean above minus below a cut (MAMBAC), maximum eigenvalue (MAXEIGEN) and L-mode factor analysis (L-MODE).Results: Graphical representations (comparing actual to simulated data) and fit indices indicate that health anxiety is more accurately represented as a dimensional rather than a categorical construct.Conclusions: Health anxiety is better represented as a dimensional construct. Implications for theory development and clinical practice are examined.Keywords
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