Abstract
Abstract
Health anxiety (HA) is common in psychiatric and medical settings. Cognitive models of HA highlight the role of misinterpreting physical sensations as dangerous. This report presents the case of a 31-year-old man and the use of a cognitive-behavioural approach to treat his HA which also considers the role of misinterpreting intrusions as abnormal, by drawing on theoretical accounts of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A single-case experimental design demonstrated reliable improvements in symptom measures of HA and general distress. Distinguishing sensation-based versus intrusion-based appraisals in HA has implications for interventions in health settings and for refining cognitive theory.
Funder
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Subject
Clinical Psychology,Experimental and Cognitive Psychology