Is computerized psychoeducation sufficient to reduce anxiety sensitivity in an at-risk sample?: A randomized trial

Anxiety sensitivity (AS), or a fear of anxiety-related sensations, has become one of the most well researched risk factors for the development of psychopathology and comprises three subfactors: physical, cognitive, and social concerns. Fortunately, research has demonstrated brief protocols can successfully reduce AS, and in turn improve psychopathological symptoms. Computerized AS reduction protocols have combined psychoeducation with interoceptive exposure (IE), but they have not been dismantled to evaluate the effects of psychoeducation alone.

The current study sought to determine the efficacy of a brief single-session psychoeducation intervention for AS, compared to a control intervention, in a sample of at-risk individuals (N=54) with elevated AS cognitive concerns.

Individuals in the active condition displayed greater reductions in self-reported AS (β=.198, 95% CI [.065, .331]) and less fear reactivity (β=.278, 95% CI [.069, .487]) to the induction of AS cognitive-relevant sensations through a behavioral challenge compared to those in the control condition. Further, fear reactivity to the challenge was mediated by reductions in self-reported AS cognitive concerns.

Study limitations include use of an at-risk nonclinical student sample, lack of a long-term follow-up assessment, and inability to discern whether AS reductions due to CAST psychoeducation prevent future, or improve current, psychological symptoms.

These results suggest that psychoeducation alone can produce significant AS reduction.