Neuroticism and cyberchondria: The mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty and defensive pessimism

Previous research has shown that personality traits, particularly neuroticism, are associated with internet-related problematic behaviors. In the cross-sectional research we investigated direct and indirect associations between the five-factor model (FFM) of personality traits and cyberchondria, considered as a health-related type of problematic internet use (PIU). In study 1 we examined the relationships between the FFM personality traits and cyberchondria, using a sample of young adults (N = 381). Results have revealed that, of the FFM personality traits, only neuroticism was associated with cyberchondria. In study 2, using a sample of community adults (N = 355), the effect of neuroticism on cyberchondria was confirmed. Furthermore, in study 2 we also found that the relationship between neuroticism and cyberchondria was mediated parallelly and sequentially by intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and defensive pessimism (DP). These findings highlight the importance of neuroticism, IU and DP as potential factors contributing to development or maintenance of cyberchondria. The empirically supported mediating processes extend the literature by elucidating some of the pathways, through which neuroticism is linked with cyberchondria. This knowledge may be useful for accurate prediction of cyberchondria in the context of dispositional variables.