Affiliation:
1. Department of Psychology, Christ (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Abstract
Background:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant increase in online health information-seeking (HIS) behavior, leading to increased levels of psychological distress.
Objective:
This study examines whether proactive, preventive, and avoidance coping styles hinder or promote cyberchondria, anxiety characterized by excessive online HIS behavior during the pandemic.
Materials and Methods:
The sample included 286 Indian young adults who responded to the Proactive Coping Inventory and Cyberchondria Severity Scale-12. The data were collected after the rapid spread of COVID-19 in India.
Results:
The correlation analysis revealed that proactive coping had a weak negative relationship with cyberchondria, while avoidance coping had a weak positive relationship. Regression analysis showed proactive coping as an inverse predictor of cyberchondria.
Conclusions:
This study was one of the few that examined the relationship between coping and cyberchondria during the pandemic. The findings provide a foundation for future research on cyberchondria in collectivistic cultures like India.