Cyberchondria and Anxiety Sensitivity in Patients with Panic Disorder: A Case-Control Study

Background and Objectives: Cyberchondria (CYB) has been associated with health anxiety and anxiety sensitivity (AS); however, its role in panic disorder (PD) remains unclear. This study aimed to compare CYB and AS levels between patients with PD and healthy controls and to examine their associations with PD severity. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional case-control study included 71 patients with PD and 69 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Participants completed the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS), Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). PD severity was assessed using the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS). Group comparisons were additionally conducted using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for relevant sociodemographic and clinical variables. Pearson correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed. Results: Patients with PD had significantly higher CSS (80.70 ± 22.71 vs. 60.62 ± 17.22) and ASI-3 total scores (35.66 ± 17.87 vs. 12.25 ± 10.18) than healthy controls. In the PD group, CYB was positively correlated with AS (r = 0.38, p < 0.01), whereas no significant association was found between CYB and PD severity (r = 0.09, p > 0.05). AS showed a moderate positive correlation with PD severity (r = 0.46, p < 0.01). In hierarchical regression analyses, CYB did not predict PD severity. Adding AS significantly increased the explained variance; however, in the final model, only general anxiety severity (BAI) remained a significant predictor of PD severity. Conclusions: Patients with PD exhibit elevated levels of CYB and AS, which are positively associated with each other. Nevertheless, PD severity appears to be primarily driven by general anxiety symptoms rather than CYB. These findings suggest that CYB may represent a parallel maladaptive coping behavior rather than a direct determinant of symptom severity, with potential implications for assessment and intervention. Longitudinal studies are warranted to clarify causal relationships.