Психологически особености на интернет зависимостите и връзката им с равнището на киберхондрия и здравна тревожност

Abstract

The present paper introduces the terms Internet addiction, cyberchondria and health anxiety, and presents the results of research on the relationships between them. Almost half of the participants experience problems deriving from their Internet use. Respondents under 20 years old, those who do not work and those who do not live with a partner demonstrate higher degree of Internet addiction behaviour than respondents over 20 years old, those who work and those who live with a partner. Participants with a university degree tend to be more eager to go online than those with secondary education. The demographic factors also differentiate signifi cantly the preferred Internet applications. The results indicate signifi cant relationships between health anxiety aroused by online information seeking, extent of online information seeking and belief that online information is accurate. Respondents with a university degree, those who live with a partner and those over 26 years old appear to be more confi dent about the accuracy of health information online and seek health information in the Internet more often than respondents with lower education, those who live without a partner, and those who are under 26 years old. Escalation and persistence of worries as indicators of cyberchondria correlate positively with health anxiety, belief that online health information is accurate and extent of online information seeking. The results indicate that cyberchondria is positively associated with Internet addiction. Escalation, persistence of worries and health anxiety correlate positively with the perceived negative infl uence of Internet on personal life. Online information seeking increases with the increase in the perceived positive infl uence of Internet on personal life.