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Family Dysfunction and Cyberchondria among Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model

Author

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  • Shengyingjie Liu

    (Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work and should both be considered as first authors.)

  • Huai Yang

    (School of Nursing & Institute of Higher Education Research and Quality Evaluation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work and should both be considered as first authors.)

  • Min Cheng

    (College of Humanities & Arts, Jiaxing Nanhu University, Jiaxing 314001, China)

  • Tianchang Miao

    (College of Humanities & Arts, Jiaxing Nanhu University, Jiaxing 314001, China)

Abstract

Cyberchondria has become a severe health problem and a significant public concern. In addition to the impacts that cyberchondria involves, individual psychological and behavioral factors have been identified. However, the role of family function and the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying these relations are not understood well, especially among adolescents. Based on family functioning and cognitive-behavioral theory, this study sought to examine whether family dysfunction was associated with cyberchondria, and a moderated mediation model was prepared as a means of exploring whether health anxiety was a mediator of relationships between family dysfunction and cyberchondria, as well as whether optimism moderated these mediating processes. A total of 2074 Chinese adolescents (mean = 15.08 years, SD = 1.79) reported their demographic information, family dysfunction, health anxiety, optimism, and cyberchondria. The findings showed that family dysfunction was positively related to cyberchondria. Moreover, health anxiety partially mediated the relationship between family dysfunction and cyberchondria. Finally, optimism moderated the interplay among health anxiety and cyberchondria. Consistent with the expectancy-value models, this positive relationship was weaker for adolescents with a higher level of optimism. These results suggest that it is vital to simultaneously consider individual and family factors as a means of understanding adolescent cyberchondria when performing cyberchondria intervention programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Shengyingjie Liu & Huai Yang & Min Cheng & Tianchang Miao, 2022. "Family Dysfunction and Cyberchondria among Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:15:p:9716-:d:882224
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Laura Sagliano & Raffaele Nappo & Mario Liotti & Mariarosaria Fiorenza & Chiara Gargiulo & Luigi Trojano & Massimiliano Conson, 2021. "“Health Comes First”: Action Tendencies to Health-Related Stimuli in People with Health-Anxiety as Revealed by an Emotional Go/No-Go Task," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Peter Tyrer & Sylvia Cooper & Helen Tyrer & Duolao Wang & Paul Bassett, 2019. "Increase in the prevalence of health anxiety in medical clinics: Possible cyberchondria," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 65(7-8), pages 566-569, November.
    3. Marta Ciułkowicz & Błażej Misiak & Dorota Szcześniak & Jolanta Grzebieluch & Julian Maciaszek & Joanna Rymaszewska, 2022. "The Portrait of Cyberchondria—A Cross-Sectional Online Study on Factors Related to Health Anxiety and Cyberchondria in Polish Population during SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-10, April.
    4. Liu, Qing-Qi & Yang, Xiu-Juan & Hu, Yu-Ting & Zhang, Chen-Yan & Nie, Yan-Gang, 2020. "How and when is family dysfunction associated with adolescent mobile phone addiction? Testing a moderated mediation model," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
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