From Cyberchondria to Temporomandibular Disorders: How Somatic Symptoms and Anxiety Bridge the Gap

This study aims to explore the potential association among cyberchondria, self-reported temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), somatic symptoms and anxiety, and verify the chain mediating effect of somatic symptoms and anxiety between cyberchondria and self-reported TMDs.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among community dwellers. A total of 531 participants, ranging in age from 18 to 50 years, were included. They all completed self-report measures of demographic information, the quintessential five TMDs symptoms (5Ts), the somatic symptom scale-8 (SSS-8), the 7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) and the short-form version of the cyberchondria severity scale (CSS-12). Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS, Origin 2021 and Mplus.

The CSS-12 score was higher in participants with self-reported TMDs (p < 0.05). Having systemic diseases, a higher education level, somatic symptoms burden, anxiety and a high level of cyberchondria were significantly linked to self-reported TMDs (p < 0.05). Mediation analysis revealed that cyberchondria has a direct effect on self-reported TMDs (β = 0.129; 95% CI 0.026-0.232). Somatic symptoms burden (β = 0.073; 95% CI 0.031-0.115) and anxiety (β = 0.041; 95% CI 0.010-0.071) respectively mediated the association between cyberchondria and self-reported TMDs. Additionally, somatic symptoms burden and anxiety collectively exhibit a chain mediation effect (β = 0.031; 95% CI 0.005-0.058).

Cyberchondria is associated with self-reported TMDs, mediated by somatic symptoms burden and anxiety. Cyberchondria can both directly and indirectly affect self-reported TMDs. Preventing cyberchondria may be beneficial for reducing the somatic symptoms burden and anxiety associated with self-reported TMDs.