title: Change and impact of illness perceptions among patients with non-cardiac chest pain or benign palpitations following three sessions of CBT.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many patients with non-cardiac chest pain or benign palpitations have poor prognosis in terms of symptom persistence, limitations in everyday activities, and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the study were to evaluate the changes and impact of illness perceptions during a three-session cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention for patients with non-cardiac chest pain or benign palpitations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with persistent complaints 6 months after a negative cardiac evaluation were invited to participate in a randomized controlled trial. Patients in the intervention group (n = 21) received three manualized sessions with CBT, including one physical activity exposure session; the control group (n = 19) received usual care from their general practitioner. Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) was used to measure illness perceptions. Patients were assessed at start and end of the intervention and at 3- and 12-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention and control group differed significantly on five of the eight items of BIPQ at least at one follow-up assessment. At end of treatment and at 3-month follow-up change in illness concern (Item 6 in BIPQ) mediated about 40% of the change in depression from baseline, and at 12-month follow-up about 50% of the change in depression was mediated by change in personal control (Item 3 in BIPQ).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Illness perceptions measured with BIPQ may mediate the short and long term treatment effects of a three-session CBT-programme for patients with non-cardiac chest pain and benign palpitations.
authors.affiliation: More and Romsdal Hospital Trust, Molde, and Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. egil.jonsbu@helse-mr.no
authors.forename: Egil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jonsbu
authors.forename: Egil W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Martinsen
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morken
authors.forename: Torbjørn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moum
authors.forename: Toril
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dammen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000523:psychology; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D055809:Illness Behavior; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009664:Norway; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires