Contents of It's not All in Your Head by Asmundson and Taylor

1. INTRODUCTION AND LITERARTURE REVIEW
Health anxiety is a psychological construct that ranges on a continuum from
normal health awareness to hypochondriasis in its extreme form (Taylor & Asmundson,
2004). Individuals with health anxiety believe they are physically ill, are often
hypervigilant to bodily sensations and changes, and experience recurrent thoughts about
serious disease (Taylor & Asmundson, 2004). Until recently, there were no effective
treatments for health anxiety (Avia, Ruiz, Olivares, & Crespo, 1996; Barsky, Bailey,
Fama, & Ahern, 2000; Barsky, Geringer, & Wool, 1988; Taylor & Asmundson, 2004);
however, a number of empirically supported treatment options such as cognitive-
behavioural therapy (CBT) are now available (Taylor, Asmundson, & Coons, 2005).
During a typical CBT protocol for health anxiety, individuals learn about the
nature of health-related anxiety, are exposed to health and disease-related stimuli, endure
the associated anxiety, and learn that the outcomes of anxiety will not be catastrophic
(Taylor & Asmundson, 2004). Most recently, efforts have been directed at translating
therapist-delivered CBT treatments into more accessible self-help programs for health
anxiety and a spectrum of related disorders (i.e., the health anxiety disorders). However,
these approaches have not received much empirical scrutiny and warrant further
investigation. The purpose of this feasibility trial was to determine the efficacy (capacity
for beneficial change) of a CBT self-help book for health anxiety (i.e., It’s Not All in Your
Head, Asmundson & Taylor, 2005), relative to a wait-list control group. The findings of
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