Abstract
Pre-screening measures derived from a cognitive-behavioral theory of health anxiety were significant predictors of individual differences in post-screening reactions to a health screening procedure, bone densitometry. Predictors included specific illness beliefs (vulnerability, severity/consequences, coping and treatment) and general health anxiety measures. Three months after a low bone mineral density (BMD) result, women with high levels of pre-existing general health anxiety gave higher ratings of anxiety about osteoporosis and perceived likelihood of developing osteoporosis than women with low levels of pre-existing health anxiety, even though the two groups' initial ratings had not differed significantly. Women with a low BMD result generally showed "minimization" of the seriousness of low BMD but women with very high levels of pre-existing health anxiety did not. After a high BMD result, highly health anxious women were only temporarily reassured. The results were consistent with the cognitive-behavioral analysis of health anxiety.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 359-381 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | Behaviour Research and Therapy |
Volume | 40 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2002 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychiatry and Mental Health
Keywords
- Anxiety
- Bone density
- Cognitive-behavioral
- Minimization
- Osteoporosis
- Screening