Effects of attention training on hypochondriasis: a brief case series
Abstract
Background Empirical evidence indicates that manipulations of attention may facilitate changes in cognition and stress symptoms in emotional disorder. Methods The present study reports the effects of Attention Training (ATT) in a brief case series of three patients with primary hypochondriasis using an A-B-A design. Results ATT produced clinically significant improvements in self-reported measures of affect, and illness-related behaviour and cognition. Treatment gains were maintained at 6 months follow-up assessments. Measures of body-focused attention indicated that the ATT procedure acted on attentional processes as intended. Conclusions The present case series extends the effects of ATT to problems of hypochondriasis. A number of studies now suggest that ATT is associated with a reduction in anxiety and negative beliefs across disorders of panic, social phobia and hypochondriasis. Controlled clinical trials are now required to establish firmly the effects of ATT as a component of cognitive therapy.
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There is preliminary evidence that training in external attentional control strategies can be beneficial in health anxiety.
“there is preliminary evidence that training in external attentional control strategies can be beneficial in HA (Papageorgiou & Wells, 1998).”
From Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for severe health anxiety (hypochondriasis): An interpretative phenomenological analysis of patients' experiences (2011) · cites this paper as Papageorgiou & Wells, 1998
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- Authors
- PAPAGEORGIOU, C., & WELLS, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- Venue
- Psychological Medicine
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 1998-01
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 193-200
- ISSN
- 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8978
- OpenAlex
- W1982328382
- Cited by
- 138
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 1.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Keywords
- attention training, health anxiety, cognitive therapy, anxiety, maintenance therapy, A-B-A design
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Attention, Attitude to Health, Cognition, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Hypochondriasis, Phobic Disorders, Sick Role, Somatoform Disorders, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Panic Disorder
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