Hypochondriasis and intrusive illness-related thoughts: Development and validation of an assessment instrument

The aim of the present study was to develop and validate the Illness-related Intrusive Thoughts Inventory (INPIE), a self-report that evaluates the frequency of intrusions with an illness-related content, the associated emotional reactions and appraisals, and the control strategies developed to control the intrusions. Two different studies were conducted. In the first study, 330 university students completed the newly developed questionnaire. The structure of the first part of the questionnaire consisted of five factors, and the second part had six factors. The internal consistency was excellent. In the second study, 56 participants completed a battery of measures that included the revised version of the inventory (INPIE-R). The INPIE-R was mainly associated with hypochondriasis attitudes and anxious and depressive symptoms. The INPIE-R seems to be a useful instrument for evaluating intrusions related to illness, an understudied area that is relevant as an element of psychopathological vulnerability. Results are similar to those observed for obsessional content, supporting the transdiagnostic role of intrusive thoughts.