Predicting the effect of psychoeducational group treatment for hypochondriasis

Both individual cognitive-behavioural therapy and short-term psychoeducational courses have shown to be effective in reducing hypochondriacal complaints. However, it is unknown which patients benefit from treatment. The aim of the present study is to explore which variables predict treatment outcome in a pooled group of 140 participants of a psychoeducational course. Predictor variables were a) pretreatment hypochondriasis, b) age, c) gender, d) level of education, e) duration of hypochondriacal complaints, f) severity of depressive complaints, g) severity of trait anxiety, and h) treatment expectation. The target scores were residual gain scores of hypochondriacal complaints. Results showed that more severe hypochondriacal complaints at pre- and post-test correlated significantly with more severe hypochondriacal complaints later. Furthermore, higher trait anxiety and older age predicted less treatment gain in hypochondriacal complaints. More research of which variables can predict treatment outcome is needed.