Illness Worry Scale – IWS
Measures hypochondriacal worry, health anxiety, and preoccupation with physical symptoms and illness.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Illness Worry Scale – IWS was developed by James M. Robbins & Laurence J. Kirmayer (1990). It is designed to measure Illness Worry. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 12 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a dichotomous Yes/No format.
The scale includes 1 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 12. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Illness Worry: 0 – 3
- Moderate Illness Worry: 4 – 8
- High Illness Worry: 9 – 12
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.