Reconceptualizing emetophobia: a cognitive-behavioral formulation and research agenda.
Fear of vomiting (emetophobia) is a poorly understood anxiety disorder, with little research published into its conceptualization or treatment. The current article uses established cognitive and behavioral models of other anxiety disorders as a basis from which to propose a detailed model of emetophobia. The model proposes that emetophobia results from a constellation of factors including a general anxiety-vulnerability factor, a tendency to somatize anxiety as gastrointestinal distress, a tendency to catastrophically misappraise nausea and other gastrointestinal symptoms, hypervigilance to gastrointestinal cues, beliefs about the unacceptability of vomiting, negatively reinforced avoidance behavior, and selective confirmation biases. A formulation-based treatment package for emetophobia is outlined, including arousal management skills, distraction/attention training, exposure and cognitive restructuring.
Boschen
Mark J
MJ
School of Psychology, Griffith University, PMB50 Gold Coast Mail Centre, Queensland 9726, Australia. m.boschen@griffith.edu.au
D001290:Attitude; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D014839:Vomiting