The health management and affect profiler: A short questionnaire assessing instrumental and affective health-related individual difference factors

We examined reliability and validity of the Health Management and Affect Profiler (H-MAP), a short questionnaire assessing instrumental and affective components accounting for covariance of health-related person factors. Design. Study 1 tested the factorial structure of H-MAP items by Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and examined the association of H-MAP factors with general personality traits. Study 2 tested the association of H-MAP factors with well-established measures of health-related person factors. Methods. Study 1. Five hundred and sixteen participants (18 to 93 years old) completed the H-MAP with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised. Study 2. Two hundred and ninety-nine participants (21 to 92 years old) completed the H-MAP with measures of Generalized Self-Efficacy and Health-Locus of Control as markers of instrumental beliefs, and of Depression and Hypochondria as markers of affective beliefs. Results. Study 1. The H-MAP had a sound factorial structure as well as an acceptable internal consistency reliability. H-MAP factor scores were relatively independent from general personality traits as well as from participants' gender and education, and free from social desirability bias. Study 2. H-MAP ratings were properly associated with measures of instrumental and affective health-related person factors. Conclusions. The H-MAP is a valid and reliable instrument assessing health-related individual difference factors. © 2010 Cises