Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure of the Colombian Version of the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI)

Aim: The SHAI is a well-established, brief, valid, and reliable self-report measure of health anxiety (HA) widely used worldwide in medical and non-medical contexts. Subjects and methods: The psychometric properties, internal consistency, and fit indices of the scale’s structure were examined in 867 Colombian adolescents (458 women and 409 men; M = 15.97; SD = 1.37). Results: The high reliability for SHAI was confirmed. Three models were tested, and the best-fitting model was the original two-factor structure (Fear of Illness and Negative Consequences of an Illness). Fit indices supported the two-factor model with a Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.961 and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.047 (90 % CI: .041–0.052). The total reliability of the scale was α = 0.82, which can be considered significant and high, with reports of α = 0.80 and α = 0.68 for the factors of Fear of Disease and Negative Consequences of Disease, respectively. While reliability was excellent, the model’s fit was also adequate and consistent with the original structure. Conclusion: The Colombian version of the SHAI is a valid and reliable tool for assessing health anxiety in clinical practice and the research field.