Background. Empirical evidence indicates that manipulations
of attention may facilitate changes in
cognition and stress symptoms in emotional disorder.
Methods. The present study reports the effects of Attention
Training (ATT) in a brief case series of
three patients with primary hypochondriasis using an
A–B–A design.
Results. ATT produced clinically significant improvements
in self-reported measures of affect, and
illness-related behaviour and cognition. Treatment gains were
maintained at 6 months follow-up
assessments. Measures of body-focused attention indicated that the
ATT procedure acted on attentional processes as intended.
Conclusions. The present case series extends the effects of
ATT to problems of hypochondriasis. A
number of studies now suggest that ATT is associated with a reduction
in anxiety and negative
beliefs across disorders of panic, social phobia and hypochondriasis.
Controlled clinical trials are
now required to establish firmly the effects of ATT as a component of
cognitive therapy.