A preliminary study of worry and metacognitions in hypochondriasis

It was investigated whether hypochondriasis is characterized by either a general or a more content-specific tendency to worry and to engage in meta-worry (i.e. beliefs about worries). In samples of hypochondriacal patients (n=14), matched healthy controls (n=25) and psychology students (n=122) questionnaires were administered to assess hypochondriasis, the process and content of worrying, and both general and illness-related meta-worry. The results show that hypochondriacal patients tend to worry more about illness-related topics but not about general issues. Hypochondriasis as a dimension is best predicted by specific meta-worries about lack of control over thoughts about illness, as well as a cognitive self-consciousness. The findings suggest the existence of disorder-specific meta-worries.