Attentional bias toward illness threat in individuals with elevated health anxiety

This investigation examined attentional biases for illness-related information in persons varying in their degree of health anxiety ( HA). Consistent with cognitive behavioural conceptualizations, it was hypothesized that individuals with high HA would be more likely than those with lower levels to exhibit attentional biases to illness-related information when tested using a modified Stroop colour-naming task. Participants were 26 individuals with each of high, medium, and low HA as assessed using the Illness Attitudes Scale ( R. Kellner, P. Abbott, W. W. Winslow, & D. Pathak, 1987). Results indicated that participants with high HA, compared to those with lower levels of HA, selectively attend to illness-related but not other categories of emotionally laden stimuli. These findings, indicative of an attentional bias for illness-related cues in high HA, are discussed in the context of cognitive behavioural conceptualizations of HA. Future research directions are outlined.