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

et al., 2003). Self-help treatments were comparable to therapist-administered treatments
and more therapist contact had a positive effect on treatment outcomes (Newman et al.,
2003). Greater therapist guidance and explanation of materials lead to the greater impact
of treatment with self-help manuals (van Boeijen et al., 2005). In anxiety studies the
effect sizes ranged from small to large (d = 0.38 - 1.74) primarily due to differences in
therapist contact (van Boeijen et al., 2005). The treatment gains can be maintained at 12-
month and 3-year follow-up (van Boeijen et al., 2005). Guided self-help anxiety studies
have reported small to large effect sizes (d = 0.10 – 1.52) with larger effect sizes in
studies that used media campaigns instead of recruitment from mental health
professionals (Coull & Morris, 2011). Guided self-help may be used as a first line
treatment for anxiety problems. However, there have been no randomized controlled
trials of existing self-help treatments for health anxiety.
Self-help has the potential to reduce the financial and time expenditures of mental
health care providers whose services are in high demand. If self-help resources are
incorporated into more clinical health settings this may reduce treatment costs and the
time health care providers spend explaining concepts (Campbell & Smith, 2003; van
Boeijen et al., 2005). Self-help would also allow for different learning modalities and
treatment can continue outside of therapy sessions. Self-help can also increase the
effectiveness of the clinically sanctioned treatments health care professionals already
provide. The fact that there are numerous commercially available self-help materials on
28