Incremental specificity of disgust propensity and sensitivity in the prediction of health anxiety dimensions

The present study sought to determine the incremental specificity of disgust propensity and sensitivity in the prediction of symptoms of health anxiety in a large nonclinical sample (N = 498). Exploratory factor analysis identified Illness Likelihood, Illness Severity, and Body Vigilance as dimensions of health anxiety symptoms that significantly correlated with disgust propensity and sensitivity. Negative affect and the fear of contamination were also significantly correlated with the three health anxiety symptom dimensions. Regression analyses did show that disgust propensity and sensitivity predicted overall health anxiety symptoms independent of negative affect and fear of contamination. However, the unique association between disgust propensity and sensitivity and symptoms of health anxiety was specific to the Body Vigilance dimension. These findings suggest that disgust propensity and sensitivity may be a unique vulnerability for the vigilance for bodily sensations/changes aspect of health anxiety but not necessarily other (perceived probability/severity of having a serious illness) aspects of health anxiety. The clinical and research implications of these findings for conceptualizing disgust propensity and sensitivity as a vulnerability for excessive health anxiety are discussed.