Whiteley Index (Health Anxiety)
A 14-item scale that assesses health anxiety (hypochondriasis).
In one minute
How it works in 3 steps
- You respond: You mark the items about fear of illness and bodily preoccupation.
- A total is produced: Your answers turn into a total score.
- It is interpreted: A high score raises the case for a more detailed assessment.
Who it informs
When professional support helps
What does the WI measure?
The index looks at the fear of illness together with excessive attention to bodily symptoms. Worry that continues even after medical reassurance is the distinguishing feature of health anxiety, and this scale makes it visible.
High results may call for a more detailed assessment. Health anxiety is an area that can ease markedly when it is worked on.
How is it scored?
Items are marked and summed; a score above a certain threshold points to clinical-level health anxiety and a comprehensive assessment is recommended.
- Items
- 14
- Score range
- 0–14
- Administration
- Self / observer report
What do the score bands mean?
The ranges below are a general frame. No band makes a diagnosis on its own; a result only becomes meaningful when a clinical psychologist interprets it alongside your life story.
| Score | General interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0–5 | Low health anxiety |
| 6–14 | Clinical-level health anxiety |
Limitation: It is a short screening tool and a scale never makes a diagnosis on its own. If a genuine medical condition is present, the result must be read carefully; the distinction between realistic concern and excessive worry is made through a conversation with a specialist.
Psychometrics and source
Developed by Pilowsky (1967), it is one of the oldest and most widely used screening tools in the field of hypochondriasis and health anxiety.
Original source: Pilowsky, I. (1967). WI.
How is this scale used at Mete Psikoloji?
At Mete Psikoloji, when working with health anxiety this scale is used to understand reassurance-seeking behaviours and to track change over the process. Results are kept and followed in your personal portal for online and in-person clients alike, and are interpreted together with your clinical psychologist.
Related reading
Did your result give you pause?
A scale is only a starting point. By planning an assessment session with our clinical psychologists, you can consider your result alongside the context of your life.