⚠ Educational Use Only — The CAT-PD: Health Anxiety is a self-reflection worksheet for academic and research purposes only. It does not provide a formal assessment result, professional evaluation, or any form of recommendation. If you have concerns, please consult a qualified professional.
7 Research Items
1–5 Likert Scale
≥3 Baseline Avg
~2m Est. Time

Health Anxiety: Academic Baseline Profiler

The Health Anxiety subscale of the CAT-PD-SF battery is a 7-item academic instrument measuring the trait-level tendency to worry about illness, fear health deterioration, and experience heightened preoccupation with somatic complaints. Developed by Simms and colleagues (2011)....

For each statement, select the response that best describes your typical patterns of thinking, feeling, and behavior. There are no right or wrong answers — accurate, honest responses produce the most academically useful baseline data.

1 of 7 CAT-PD: Health Anxiety

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Academic Profile
Average item score (1–5 scale) · CAT-PD: Health Anxiety

Profile Interpretation

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Educational Context

Higher scores reflect greater trait-level illness worry and health preoccupation. Lower scores indicate a more relaxed orientation toward health as an academic personality baseline.

Academic research uses these scores as baseline data points within structured personality research frameworks. Scores are not evaluative conclusions and should always be interpreted by a qualified researcher or professional in conjunction with a comprehensive assessment battery.

Academic Citation

Simms, L. J., Goldberg, L. R., Roberts, J. E., Watson, D., Welte, J., & Rotterman, J. H. (2011). Computerized adaptive assessment of personality disorder: Introducing the CAT–PD project. Journal of Personality Assessment, 93(4), 380–389. doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2011.577475

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The Academic Science Behind the CAT-PD: Health Anxiety

The Health Anxiety subscale of the CAT-PD-SF battery is a 7-item academic instrument measuring the trait-level tendency to worry about illness, fear health deterioration, and experience heightened preoccupation with somatic complaints. Developed by Simms and colleagues (2011).

Research Framework and Construct Validity

Health anxiety as a trait reflects a stable dispositional tendency to interpret bodily sensations as signs of serious illness and to maintain persistent worry about health outcomes. The CAT-PD captures this as a personality dimension distinct from situational health concerns.

Comparison: CAT-PD: Health Anxiety vs. HAI (Health Anxiety Inventory)
Feature CAT-PD-HA HAI (Health Anxiety Inventory)
Core Construct Health Anxiety trait profiling Closely related construct
Number of Items 7 items Varies by version
Primary Use Case Academic personality baseline Research and structured evaluation
Scoring Method 1–5 Likert average Scale-specific method
Framework CAT-PD personality research battery Independent academic instrument

Understanding Your Score Range

One reverse-keyed item assesses perceived good health. Item average from 1 to 5 constitutes the score. Values above 3.0 reflect above-average health anxiety trait patterns. Community α = .84; patient α = .84.

Academic Utility and Research Applications

Researchers use the Health Anxiety subscale in academic studies of somatic preoccupation, medical help-seeking behavior, and the relationship between personality traits and healthcare utilization patterns.

Educational Results Interpretation

Higher scores reflect greater trait-level illness worry and health preoccupation. Lower scores indicate a more relaxed orientation toward health as an academic personality baseline. This engine is provided for academic self-reflection and research purposes only. Results constitute educational data points and not evaluative conclusions. Participants are always encouraged to consult a qualified professional for comprehensive structural review.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the CAT-PD Health Anxiety scale measure?

The Health Anxiety scale maps the trait-level tendency to worry about illness, fear health deterioration, and experience heightened preoccupation with bodily symptoms. It is measuring a stable personality disposition toward health-related concern — not your actual health status, but how much mental energy tends to be organised around health worry as a consistent pattern.

How is the Health Anxiety score calculated?

Seven items are rated 1–5. One item ('Think that I am in good medical condition') is reverse-keyed and scored inversely. The item average is your score. A higher average reflects greater health anxiety as a personality research baseline indicator.

Why does reassurance-seeking not help with health anxiety?

This is one of the most important insights from research on this trait. Health anxiety operates in a cycle: worry → reassurance → temporary relief → return of worry, often stronger. Reassurance becomes a short-term fix that perpetuates the long-term problem by reinforcing the idea that the worry was justified. Research-supported approaches work to break this cycle by building tolerance for uncertainty rather than eliminating it through repeated checking.

How does health anxiety relate to general anxiousness in the CAT-PD?

Health anxiety and general anxiousness are related but distinct trait facets in the CAT-PD battery. General anxiousness captures a broad fearful disposition across situations; health anxiety specifically targets the domain of bodily health and illness. Academic research finds they often co-occur but can exist independently — someone can be highly health-anxious without being broadly anxious, and vice versa.

Does this profile replace a formal professional evaluation?

No. This is an educational self-reflection worksheet. It does not produce formal conclusions or personalised recommendations. If health-related worry is meaningfully interfering with your quality of life, connecting with a qualified professional — particularly one trained in CBT for health anxiety — can make a substantial difference.