title: Patient Characteristics and Patient Behavior as Predictors of Outcome in Cognitive Therapy and Exposure Therapy for Hypochondriasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Psychotherapy for hypochondriasis has greatly improved over the last decades and cognitive-behavioral treatments are most promising. However, research on predictors of treatment outcome for hypochondriasis is rare. Possible predictors of treatment outcome in cognitive therapy (CT) and exposure therapy (ET) for hypochondriasis were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Characteristics and behaviors of 75 patients were considered as possible predictors: sociodemographic variables (sex, age, and cohabitation); psychopathology (pretreatment hypochondriacal symptoms, comorbid mental disorders, and levels of depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms); and patient in-session interpersonal behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severity of pretreatment hypochondriacal symptoms, comorbid mental disorders, and patient in-session interpersonal behavior were significant predictors in multiple hierarchical regression analyses. Interactions between the predictors and the treatment (CT or ET) were not found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In-session interpersonal behavior is an important predictor of outcome. Furthermore, there are no specific contraindications to treating hypochondriasis with CT or ET.
authors.affiliation: Goethe University, Frankfurt.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Richtberg
authors.affiliation: Goethe University, Frankfurt.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jakob
authors.affiliation: Goethe University, Frankfurt.
authors.forename: Volkmar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Höfling
authors.affiliation: University of Potsdam.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D007171:Implosive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: cognitive-behavioral therapy; hypochondriasis; illness anxiety disorder; interpersonal behavior; predictors of outcome