Behavioural treatment of AIDS-focused illness phobia.
Seven cases are described in which the central symptoms were fear of contracting AIDS, avoidance of related cues, rituals and reassurance-seeking. Associated features include previous illness phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Treatment with exposure and response prevention (plus a cognitive session in one case), led to improvement sustained up to three months after discharge, although one patient stopped treatment prematurely. Controlled trials of behavioural treatment in hypochondriasis are required.
Logsdail
S
S
Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London.
Lovell
K
K
Warwick
H
H
Marks
I
I
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000523:psychology; D012803:Sick Role; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology