Elaborating on Internet addiction and cyberchondria – relationships, direct and mediated effects

Authors

  • Eliza Ivanova Department of General, Experimental, and Genetic Psychology, Sofi a University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 15 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., Sofi a, Bulgaria
  • Sonya Karabeliova Department of General, Experimental, and Genetic Psychology, Sofi a University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 15 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., Sofi a, Bulgaria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs20141.127.144

Keywords:

Internet addiction, cyberchondria, personality traits, well-being, mediation analysis

Abstract

The present paper focuses on the effects of personality traits on the levels of Internet addiction and cyberchondria and their consequent effects on well-being. For the purposes of the research, mediation analyses were carried out, clarifying the infl uence of personality traits on well-being mediated by Internet addiction, cyberchondria and anxiety aroused by online health information seeking. It was established that Neuroticism leads to decreased well-being through the mediating infl uence of health anxiety, escalation and persistence of health concerns. Health anxiety is a mediator in the relationship between Openness to Experience and well-being. It was established that low levels of Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, and high levels of Openness, and Neuroticism, infl uence Internet addiction, which in turn leads to decreased well-being. Furthermore, we established the mediated infl uence of Internet addiction on the tendency for cyberchondria and health anxiety through using the Internet for health information and judgment biases.

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Published

2020-01-06

How to Cite

Ivanova, E. ., & Karabeliova, S. . (2020). Elaborating on Internet addiction and cyberchondria – relationships, direct and mediated effects. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 5(1), 127–144. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs20141.127.144