Health anxiety (HA) is common in psychiatric and medical settings. Cognitive models of HA highlight the role of misinterpreting physical sensations as dangerous. This report presents the case of a 31-year-old man and the use of a cognitive-behavioural approach to treat his HA which also considers the role of misinterpreting intrusions as abnormal, by drawing on theoretical accounts of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A single-case experimental design demonstrated reliable improvements in symptom measures of HA and general distress. Distinguishing sensation-based versus intrusion-based appraisals in HA has implications for interventions in health settings and for refining cognitive theory.
Abstract The current study used behavioural and electroencephalograph measures to compare the transferability of three home-based interventions — cognitive training (CT), neurofeedback training (NFT), and CT combined with NFT — for reducing symptoms in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). Following a multiple-baseline single-case experimental design, twelve children were randomised to a training condition. Each child completed a baseline phase, followed by an intervention phase. The intervention phase consisted of 20 sessions of at-home training. Tau-U analysis and standardised visual analysis were adopted to detect effects. Results showed that CT improved inhibitory function and NFT improved alpha EEG activity and working memory. The combined condition, which was a reduced ‘dose’ of CT and NFT, did not show any improvements. The three conditions did not alleviate AD/HD symptoms. While CT and NFT may have transfer effects on executive functions, considering the lack of improvement in symptoms, this study does not support CT and NFT on their own as a treatment for children with AD/HD.
There is currently a lack of clinical research that would strongly support the application of CBT in the treatment of narcolepsy type 1. Despite that, there are several guidelines that suggest some techniques should be routinely applied. Currently, there is still a lack of results on what to do with patients who have comorbid sleep and psychiatric disorders or other psychosocial comorbidities and problems. This case study concerns a 27-year-old female who had narcolepsy type 1 and history of sleep, psychosocial, and psychiatric problems. Her main problems included cataplexy, daily tiredness and sleepiness, a problem with daily physical activity, and problems in her psychosocial functioning. The patient received 7 session of CBT treatment based on recommended techniques for patients with hypersomnia. Self-reported measure of sleep, anxiety, and depression were collected at the start and 1-month post-treatment. Objective psychological measures recorded positive changes in post-treatment assessment of CBT effect on her sleep pattern, significant reduction of cataplexy, depressive and anxiety symptoms, daily activity, and tiredness during the day.
The COVID-19 pandemic presents challenges to the provision of community programs and access to mental health services for young people. We examined the feasibility, reach, and acceptability of multi-technology delivery of an integrated system that assesses and provides feedback on youth mental health and wellbeing and connects them to care within the context of a youth sports development program. The system was delivered via computer, telephone, and teleconference with 66 adolescent boys participating in a rugby league development program in three communities in Australia. Young people completed online wellbeing and mental health measures (Assess step), parents were provided with telephone feedback on results, support, and referral options (Reflect step), and youth received teleconferenced workshops and online resources (Connect step). The multi-technology delivery was feasible to implement, and reach was high, with barriers experienced at the Assess step but minimally experienced at the Reflect and Connect steps. Delivering the system via multiple forms of technology was rated as highly beneficial and enjoyable by young people. Players improved in self-reported prosocial behaviour, gratitude, and anxiety symptoms from pre- to post-program. Strong collaboration between researchers, organisational personnel, and community members is important for achieving these outcomes.
Behavioural activation (BA) is an efficacious treatment approach. Activity monitoring is a key component of brief BA treatments; however, no studies have examined the most efficacious format for monitoring. The present pilot study tested brief versus intensive activity monitoring approaches during a BA intervention administered in a college orientation course. Outcomes characterised (1) engagement with the treatment protocol via activity monitoring and (2) participant qualitative experiences with monitoring and the intervention as reported during focus group interviews. Four course sections were randomly assigned to receive monitoring forms that were brief (assessed activities three times daily) or intensive (assessed activities hourly). Forms were provided electronically to students via a web-based platform which tracked completion. There were no significant differences in monitoring frequency (38.0 vs. 23.0 days; p = .154) or the duration of monitoring engagement (62.0 vs. 36.0 days; p = .054) between the brief and intensive conditions. Qualitative findings suggested that participants in both conditions found utility in activity monitoring, particularly during the first month as they transitioned to college. Overall, findings indicated that participants may find utility in monitoring during the first month of a BA intervention using either brief or intensive monitoring forms. Clinical Trials Registration Number: NCT04038190
