Cognitive behavioural intervention for health anxiety, somatosensory amplification, and depression in coronavirus disease 2019 anxiety: an interventional study in Iran

Abstract

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019) is associated with a certain kind of anxiety around coronavirus in healthy population. Coronavirus anxiety can put healthy individuals at a risk of false safety behaviours, which can bring corrosive consequences. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural intervention for health anxiety, somatosensory amplification, and depression among healthy individuals with coronavirus disease anxiety in Iran. This study was conducted in Rasht, Iran, and included 150 college students aged between 18 and 32 years. In accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria for illness anxiety disorder and using 8 items of the Short Health Anxiety Inventory, which were adapted to coronavirus disease anxiety, the participants were randomly assigned into experimental group (n = 75) and waitlist control group (n = 75). The cognitive-behavioural intervention was provided for the experimental group participants in 10 90-minute sessions (5-day a week). The intervention was group-based and included the reduction of hypervigilance, amplification, and false safety-seeking behaviours. The Short Health Anxiety Inventory, Somatosensory Amplification Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory were completed by the participants before and after the intervention. Significant reductions were observed in health anxiety (p < 0.01), somatosensory amplification (p < 0.01), and depression (p < 0.01) for the experimental group. Given the contagious nature of illness anxiety and its negative consequences, it is essential to deal with coronavirus anxiety. Cognitive behavioural therapy is efficacious for coronavirus anxiety by reducing the catastrophic beliefs and false safety behaviours.