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Dropout From Psychological Interventions for Pathological Health Anxiety: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis of Randomized
Congrong Shi1,2, Ying Wu1, Hongrui Wei1
1School of Educational Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China.
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy
|October 4, 2024
Summary
Dropout rates for psychological interventions in pathological health anxiety are low, around 9.67%. Factors like country of study may influence adherence, suggesting a need to consider cultural contexts in mental healthcare.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- Pathological health anxiety is a significant mental health concern.
- Dropout from psychological interventions can impede treatment effectiveness.
- Limited comprehensive data exists on dropout rates in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of dropout in psychological interventions for pathological health anxiety.
- To identify predictors of dropout in these interventions.
- To provide the first comprehensive evidence on this topic.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search across multiple databases (Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Cochrane).
- Inclusion of 28 randomized controlled trials (40 intervention conditions, 1783 participants).
- Three-level meta-analysis to calculate weighted average dropout rates and analyze moderators.
Main Results:
- A weighted average dropout rate of 9.67% was observed.
- Dropout rates were similar between treatment and control conditions (OR = 1.07).
- No significant predictors were found, except for the country of study.
Conclusions:
- The dropout rate for pathological health anxiety interventions is relatively low compared to other mental health conditions.
- Cultural and societal factors may play a role in treatment adherence.
- Further research is needed to understand multifaceted dropout factors for improved intervention design.
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