Fears, Beliefs, and Attitudes in DSM-III Hypochondriasis

In order to explore fears, beliefs, and attitudes of patients with DSM-III hypochondriasis, the authors administered the self-rated Illness Attitude Scales to 21 patients with hypochondriasis, matched family practice patients, nonpatient employees, and nonhypochondriacal psychiatric patients. Hypochondriacal patients reported more fears of and false beliefs about disease; they attended more to bodily sensations, had more fears about death, and distrusted physicians' judgments more, yet sought more medical care than other subjects. They did not take better precautions about their health. The self-report of overt attitudes suggests a characteristic syndrome, consistent with the DSM-III description of hypochondriasis. Two of the subscales of the Illness Attitude Scales yielded characteristic responses in hypochondriasis.