title: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for hypochondriasis, or severe health anxiety: a pilot study.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. dlovas@partners.org
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lovas
authors.forename: Arthur J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Barsky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026441:Mind-Body Therapies / Q000379:methods; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome