To find out the effect of application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on severity of   Whiteley index, illness attitude scale, social functioning and quality of life in patients with hypochondriacal disorder

N. Dileep S. Kumar; Vikas Sharma

Keywords:

Hypochondriasis, whiteley Index, Illness Attitude Scale, Social Funtionaling, Quality Of Life

Abstract

Hypochondriacal disorder involves excessive health anxiety, assessed using tools like the Whiteley Index and Illness Attitude Scale. These scales measure concerns and misinterpretations about illness. The disorder impacts social functioning through avoidance behaviors and significantly diminishes quality of life due to chronic stress and anxiety. To find out the effect of Application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on severity of , Whiteley index, Illness Attitude scale, Social Functioning and Quality of life in patients with hypochondriacal disorder. Eighty medical outpatients diagnosed with Hypochondriacal Disorder were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. Sociodemographic characteristics were assessed, and the Whiteley Index, Illness Attitude Scale, Social Functioning Questionnaire, and WHO Quality-of-Life Scale were administered. The experimental group received 13 individual CBT sessions targeting these scales, in addition to treatment-as-usual (TAU), while the control group received only TAU. Data were analyzed using dependent and independent t-tests. In this study, the mean age of patients was 36 years in the experimental group and 32 years in the control group. The average duration of hypochondriacal disorder was 2.7 years for both groups. The results showed a significant decrease in hypochondriacal fears, attitudes, beliefs, and abnormal illness behavior, along with improved social functioning and an increase in quality of life, based on pre- and post-treatment scores, following the application of CBT. Patients with Hypochondriacal Disorder showed significantly greater reductions in hypochondriacal fears, attitudes, beliefs, and abnormal illness behavior, as well as improved social functioning and quality of life, compared to the control group. These findings suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in treating the disorder.
References
1. Abramowitz, J. S., Schwartz, S. A., & Whiteside, S. P. H. (2002). A Cognitive-Behavioral Model of Health Anxiety and Hypochondriasis: The Role of Negative Automatic Thoughts, Schema, and Worry. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9(1), 44–50.
2. Abramowitz, J.S., et al. (2011). CBT for Health Anxiety.
3. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
4. Barsky, A. J., & Ahern, D. K. (2004). Cognitive behavior therapy for hypochondriasis: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 291(12), 1464-1470.
5. Beck, A.T. (2011). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders.
6. Butler, A.C., et al. (2006). Efficacy of CBT for Anxiety Disorders.
7. Furer, P., Walker, J. R., & Stein, M. B. (2010). Treating Health Anxiety and Fear of Death: A Practitioner's Guide. Guilford Press.
8. Hofmann, S.G., et al. (2012). "The Efficacy of CBT." Psychological Bulletin.
9. Nakao, M., & Barsky, A. J. (2007). Clinical application of mindfulness-based stress reduction for the management of patients with anxiety disorders. Psychosomatic Medicine, 69(7), 763-768.
10. Salkovskis, P. M., & Warwick, H. M. (1986). Cognitive Therapy of Health Anxiety and Hypochondriasis: A Practice Manual. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 1, 195–206.
11. Salkovskis, P. M., & Warwick, H. M. (2002). Making Sense of Hypochondriasis: A Cognitive Model of Health Anxiety and Hypochondriasis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 30(5), 407–414.
12. Stern, A. F., & Herman, J. (2018). The Impact of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Social Functioning in Patients with Illness Anxiety Disorder. Clinical Psychology Review, 35(4), 101–113.
13. Weck, F., Neng, J. M. B., Richtberg, S., & Stangier, U. (2012). Dysfunctional beliefs about symptoms and illness in patients with hypochondriasis. Psychosomatic Medicine, 74(1), 92-100.

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How to cite

Kumar, N. D. S., & Sharma, V. (2025). To find out the effect of application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on severity of Whiteley index, illness attitude scale, social functioning and quality of life in patients with hypochondriacal disorder. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, (| Accepted Articles). Retrieved from https://malque.pub/ojs/index.php/msj/article/view/7419

[1] Abramowitz, J. S., Schwartz, S. A., & Whiteside, S. P. H. (2002). A Cognitive-Behavioral Model of Health Anxiety and Hypochondriasis: The Role of Negative Automatic Thoughts, Schema, and Worry. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9(1), 44–50.

[2] Abramowitz, J.S., et al. (2011). CBT for Health Anxiety.

[3] American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

[4] Barsky, A. J., & Ahern, D. K. (2004). Cognitive behavior therapy for hypochondriasis: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 291(12), 1464-1470.

[5] Beck, A.T. (2011). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders.

[6] Butler, A.C., et al. (2006). Efficacy of CBT for Anxiety Disorders.

[7] Furer, P., Walker, J. R., & Stein, M. B. (2010). Treating Health Anxiety and Fear of Death: A Practitioner's Guide. Guilford Press.

[8] Hofmann, S.G., et al. (2012). "The Efficacy of CBT." Psychological Bulletin.

[9] Nakao, M., & Barsky, A. J. (2007). Clinical application of mindfulness-based stress reduction for the management of patients with anxiety disorders. Psychosomatic Medicine, 69(7), 763-768.

[10] Salkovskis, P. M., & Warwick, H. M. (1986). Cognitive Therapy of Health Anxiety and Hypochondriasis: A Practice Manual. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 1, 195–206.

[11] Salkovskis, P. M., & Warwick, H. M. (2002). Making Sense of Hypochondriasis: A Cognitive Model of Health Anxiety and Hypochondriasis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 30(5), 407–414.

[12] Stern, A. F., & Herman, J. (2018). The Impact of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Social Functioning in Patients with Illness Anxiety Disorder. Clinical Psychology Review, 35(4), 101–113.

[13] Weck, F., Neng, J. M. B., Richtberg, S., & Stangier, U. (2012). Dysfunctional beliefs about symptoms and illness in patients with hypochondriasis. Psychosomatic Medicine, 74(1), 92-100.

Abstract

References

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