Yam Faruk Caner, Korkmaz Ozan, Griffiths Mark D
Justice Vocational School, Gazisomanpaşa University, Tokat, Turkey.
Faculty of Education, Karamanoglu Mehmetbey University, Karaman, Turkey.
Curr Psychol. 2023;42(3):2377-2390. doi: 10.1007/s12144-021-02324-z. Epub 2021 Oct 20.
The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has quickly spread all over the world and has contributed to psychological consequences including fear of the virus. Depending upon the severity of their problems, individuals often search the internet via their mobile devices to understand whether the symptoms they perceive are symptoms of the disease. This condition has been termed 'cyberchondria'. In this context, the aim of this study is examine the mediating and moderating role of cyberchondria severity in the association between smartphone addiction and the fear of COVID-19. The sample comprised 520 participants (335 females [64.4%], 185 males [35.6%] aged 17 to 65 years [Mean = 28.61 years, SD = 10.60]). A survey included the Cyberchondria Severity Scale Short-Form, The Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, and The Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Structural equation modeling and SPSS Process Macro moderator variable analysis were used to test the research model. The study found a positive association between smartphone addiction, fear of COVID-19, and cyberchondria severity. Cyberchondria severity had both moderating and mediating role in the association between smartphone addiction and the fear of COVID-19. In conclusion, it has been determined that during the COVID-19 pandemic, cyberchondria severity has negative effects on individuals' fear of COVID-19.
2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）已迅速在全球蔓延，并导致了包括对病毒恐惧在内的心理后果。根据自身问题的严重程度，人们常常通过移动设备在互联网上搜索，以了解自己感觉到的症状是否为该疾病的症状。这种情况被称为“网络恐病症”。在此背景下，本研究的目的是检验网络恐病症严重程度在智能手机成瘾与对COVID-19的恐惧之间的关联中所起的中介和调节作用。样本包括520名参与者（335名女性[64.4%]，185名男性[35.6%]），年龄在17至65岁之间（平均年龄=28.61岁，标准差=10.60）。一项调查包括网络恐病症严重程度量表简版、智能手机成瘾量表简版和对COVID-19的恐惧量表。采用结构方程模型和SPSS Process宏调节变量分析来检验研究模型。研究发现智能手机成瘾、对COVID-19的恐惧和网络恐病症严重程度之间存在正相关。网络恐病症严重程度在智能手机成瘾与对COVID-19的恐惧之间的关联中兼具调节和中介作用。总之，研究确定在COVID-19大流行期间，网络恐病症严重程度对个体对COVID-19的恐惧有负面影响。
