No evidence for interactions between modern health worries, negative affect, and somatic symptom distress in general populations

Abstract

Objective Three theoretically grounded hypotheses were tested that predict interactions between modern health worries (MHWs), somatic symptom distress, and negative affect. Design Cross-sectional. Main outcome measures Hypotheses were tested in a representative German sample (n = 2306) and a near-representative Swedish sample (n = 3406). Participants completed the 12-item Modern Health Worries Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire 15-Item Somatic Symptom Severity Scale (both samples), the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-Item Depression Scale (German sample), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Swedish sample). Results According to the results obtained from the two samples, MHWs were only weakly associated with somatic symptoms and negative affectivity. Frequentist and Bayesian linear regression analyses showed an interaction only in one case. All other factors being equal, individuals high on somatic symptoms and MHWs did not experience disproportionately less anxiety or depression; those high on MHWs and negative affect were characterized by disproportionately more symptoms in the German sample but not in the Swedish sample; and high level of negative affect did not strengthen the positive association between somatic symptoms and MHWs. Conclusion Based on data from two large community samples, temporal stability of MHWs cannot be explained by somatic symptom distress and negative affectivity.