Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for hypochondriasis, or severe health anxiety: a pilot study

Journal of Anxiety Disorders
David A Lovas, A J Barsky

Abstract

In spite of the existence of evidence-based treatments for hypochondriasis, or severe health anxiety, recovery rates are low and morbidity is high. Therefore, more treatment options are needed for this prevalent condition. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) interventions have been gaining research and clinical attention for the treatment of mood, and more recently anxiety disorders. A small, uncontrolled pilot study of an 8-week group MBCT intervention for hypochondriasis was conducted. Ten subjects (five females and five males) with a mean age of 35.6 (range=25-59) recruited from an academic community health network met criteria and completed the study. There were significant improvements in measures of health anxiety, disease-related thoughts, somatic symptoms, and mindfulness at the end of treatment, and these benefits were sustained at 3-month follow-up. Participants evidenced high treatment satisfaction, with no drop-outs or adverse events. These findings provide the basis for a larger, more rigorous, controlled trial of this promising treatment approach.

References

Jun 1, 1978·The British Journal of Medical Psychology·I Pilowsky
Feb 1, 1992·Archives of General Psychiatry·A J BarskyG L Klerman
Jan 1, 1990·Journal of Psychiatric Research·A J BarskyG L Klerman
Sep 1, 1990·The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science·A J Barsky, G Wyshak
Jan 1, 1967·The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science·I Pilowsky
Jan 1, 1997·Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology·C FaravelliP Cabras
Feb 2, 1999·The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science·D M ClarkM Gelder
Mar 27, 2002·Psychosomatic Medicine·Kurt KroenkeJanet B W Williams
Dec 14, 2002·Mayo Clinic Proceedings·Jonathan S AbramowitzStephen P Whiteside
Mar 25, 2004·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·Arthur J Barsky, David K Ahern
Nov 8, 2005·Neuroreport·Sara W LazarBruce Fischl
Jan 5, 2007·The American Journal of Psychiatry·Anja GreevenPhilip Spinhoven
Feb 13, 2007·Annals of Behavioral Medicine : a Publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine·Shamini JainGary E R Schwartz
Aug 4, 2007·Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience·Amism P JhaMichael J Baime
Sep 4, 2007·Journal of Anxiety Disorders·Susan EvansDean Haglin
Jan 1, 2008·Behaviour Research and Therapy·Eric RassinMargrethe van Straten
Apr 29, 2008·Journal of Psychosomatic Research·David K MarcusRandolph C Arnau
Mar 27, 2009·Psychosomatic Medicine·Arnstein MykletunIngvard Wilhelmsen
Apr 22, 2009·Journal of Psychosomatic Research·Tim C olde HartmanChris van Weel

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Aug 15, 2013·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics·Hiske van RavesteijnAnne Speckens
Jan 29, 2014·Behaviour Research and Therapy·Erik HedmanStefan M Schulz
Dec 19, 2012·Journal of Anxiety Disorders·Nicole M AlbertsDonald Sharpe
Oct 4, 2011·International Journal of Nursing Studies·Piyanee Klainin-YobasDebra Creedy
Mar 1, 2011·Journal of Anxiety Disorders·Nicole M AlbertsHeather D Hadjistavropoulos
Jun 27, 2013·Journal of Clinical Psychology·Elisabeth H BosAgna A Bartels-Velthuis
Nov 18, 2015·Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences·Alireza AghayousefiHammed Daghaghzadeh
Oct 5, 2013·Clinical Psychology Review·R El-GabalawyJ Sareen
Sep 18, 2010·Psychiatry Research·Alberto Chiesa, Alessandro Serretti
Jul 23, 2019·The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine : Research on Paradigm, Practice, and Policy·William R MarchandRyan Lackner
Dec 21, 2019·Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research·Erland Axelsson, Erik Hedman-Lagerlöf
Mar 29, 2019·Psychosomatic Medicine·Timothy M ScarellaArthur J Barsky
Feb 14, 2019·Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings·Christina M LubertoElyse R Park
Dec 1, 2019·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·William R MarchandBrandon Yabko

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Auditory Perception

Auditory perception is the ability to receive and interpret information attained by the ears. Here is the latest research on factors and underlying mechanisms that influence auditory perception.

Anxiety Disorders

Discover the latest research on anxiety disorders including agoraphobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder here.