The mediating effect of metacognition between disease conviction and health anxiety / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the relationship of disease conviction and metacognition with health anxiety in medical students.Methods A total of 914 medical students were assessed by the Metacognitions about health anxiety questionnaire(MAQ-HA),short health anxiety inventory(SHAI) and the cognitions about body and health questionnaire(CABAH).Results (①24.07％ of medical students were reported to have health anxiety.There were no significant differences between female medical students" health anxiety (11.6±4.8) and male medical students" health anxiety (11.1 ± 5.2).There were significant differences in health anxiety among medical students of different grades.②The catastrophizing interpretation of bodily complaints,autonomic sensations,bodily weakness,intolerance of bodily complaints and metacognition were significantly positive correlated with the health anxiety(r=0.253-0.474,P＜0.01),and the health habits of disease conviction were significantly negative correlated with the health anxiety.In addition to health habits(r=-0.131,P＜ 0.01).Disease convictions (The catastrophizing interpretation of bodily complaints,autonomic sensations,bodily weakness,intolerance of bodily complaints) were significantly positive correlated with the metacognition(r=0.212-0.296,P＜0.01).③Structural equation model analysis showed that disease conviction had a positive influence on metacognition(β=0.40).Metacognition had a positive influence on health anxiety (β =0.33),and an mediating effect made by metacognition counted 36.7％ of the total effect.Conclusion Disease conviction can directly affect health anxiety,and also indirectly influence it through metacognition.