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The Development and Validation of a Chinese Version of the Illness Attitude Scales: an Investigation of University Students

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Abstract

Background

The Illness Attitude Scales (IAS) are considered as one of the most suitable instruments to screen hypochondriasis.

Purpose

Whether it has cross-cultural validity in China remains to be determined.

Methods

In Chinese university students (141 women and 141 men), we have administered the IAS, the Zuckerman–Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ), and the Plutchik–van Praag Depression Inventory (PVP).

Results

For the first time in Chinese culture, we have identified a four-factor structure of the IAS: patho-thanatophobia, symptom effect, treatment seeking, and hypochondriacal belief. Women scored significantly higher on IAS patho-thanatophobia and treatment seeking, on ZKPQ neuroticism-anxiety and activity, and on PVP than men did. The neuroticism-anxiety was significantly correlated with patho-thanatophobia and symptom effect, and PVP was positively correlated with symptom effect in women. Neuroticism-anxiety was significantly correlated with patho-thanatophobia, and impulsive sensation seeking and activity were significantly correlated with symptom effect in men.

Conclusion

In Chinese students, we have found a stable four-factor IAS structure.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 91132715), the Innovative Research Team for Translational Neuropsychiatric Medicine, Zhejiang Province (2011R50049), and the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University, Chinese Ministry of Education (no. IRT1038). The authors are very grateful to Dr. Judy Fleiter, Queensland University of Technology, for assistance with editing an earlier draft of this manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

Regarding research work described in the paper, each one of our co-authors, Danyan Luo, Yinxi Zhang, Enyan Yu, Yunfei Tan, Zhou Tong, You Zhou, Wanzhen Chen, Hao Chai, and Wei Wang, declares that there is no conflict of interest. The study conformed to the Helsinki Declaration concerning human rights and informed consent and followed correct procedures concerning treatment of humans in research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry/School of Public Health, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China

    Danyan Luo, Yinxi Zhang, Zhou Tong, You Zhou, Wanzhen Chen, Hao Chai & Wei Wang

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, China

    Enyan Yu, Yunfei Tan & Wei Wang

Authors
  1. Danyan Luo
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  2. Yinxi Zhang
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  3. Enyan Yu
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  4. Yunfei Tan
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  5. Zhou Tong
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  6. You Zhou
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  7. Wanzhen Chen
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  8. Hao Chai
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  9. Wei Wang
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Correspondence to Wei Wang.

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Luo, D., Zhang, Y., Yu, E. et al. The Development and Validation of a Chinese Version of the Illness Attitude Scales: an Investigation of University Students. Int.J. Behav. Med. 21, 638–645 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-014-9391-9

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