Health anxiety in children and adolescents

What is the study about? Aim of the study

Individuals with health anxiety are seriously affected by intense anxiety and concerns about their health and often show health-related behavioural patterns (for example by frequently checking their state of health in medical consultations). Very little is known about the course and development of health anxiety during childhood and adolescence. Clinical research with adults, however, indicates that health anxiety already emerges during childhood.

Aim of the present study is to understand the causes underlying the development of health anxiety and to validate the scientific standards of available questionnaires for the diagnosis of health anxiety. Therefore, children and adolescents with higher levels of health anxiety are compared to children and adolescents with lower levels of health anxiety or without mental disorders.


Procedure

  • A set of questionnaires about health anxiety, physical symptoms, other anxiety disorders, straining emotions, thoughts and behaviours, and strengths and weaknesses
  • An additional questionnaire for children and adolescents with a migration background about how much they identify with their culture of origin
  • Information about the living situation of the children or adolescents and their families
  • A set of questionnaires for the parents (among other things about their own strain)
  • A clinical interview with the adolescent or the parents (for infants under the age of 12 years)
  • Optional: A short experiment for the participating parent and child or adolescent


Participation Requirements

  • Age between 8 and 17 years
  • One parent is also willing to participate


Contact Details

M.Sc.Psych. Wiebke Herrmann: w.herrmann@psych.uni-frankfurt.de
Dipl.-Psych. Vera Özak: oezak@psych.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone: 069-798 23992


Responsible Managers

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Stangier
Dr. Franziska Schreiber
Dr. Dörte Grasmann