Using data from a large nonclinical sample (
N = 503), the current study examined the convergence and utility of the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI; Salkovskis et al., in Psychol Med 32:843–853,
2002) and the Multidimensional Inventory of Hypochondriacal Traits (MIHT; Longley et al., in Psychol Assess 17: 3–14,
2005). Results from a higher-order measurement model indicated that the SHAI and the MIHT factors were distinguishable and generally shared significant intercorrelations. The affective factor of the SHAI and the MIHT shared the strongest convergence and the MIHT cognitive factor clustered with both affective factors. Further, a higher-order health anxiety factor adequately accounted for SHAI-MIHT factor intercorrelations, with the affective and cognitive factors of the SHAI and the MIHT loading strongest upon the higher-order factor. Finally, only the affective and cognitive SHAI and MIHT scales incrementally contributed—beyond general distress and the other SHAI and MIHT scales—in regression analyses predicting medical utilization and somatic symptoms. Implications for the conceptualization and assessment of health anxiety are discussed.