The Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on Anxiety and Self-Care in People with Illness Anxiety Disorder
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63053/ijhes.194Keywords:
Schema Therapy, Anxiety, Self-Care, Illness Anxiety DisorderAbstract
Background: Illness Anxiety Disorder is characterized by excessive worry about having a serious illness, leading to significant distress and impairment in daily functioning. Schema therapy, which targets early maladaptive schemas, may be an effective intervention for reducing anxiety and improving self-care in this population. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of schema therapy on anxiety and self-care in individuals with Illness Anxiety Disorder.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included all individuals diagnosed with Illness Anxiety Disorder attending psychiatric clinics and counseling centers in Neka city during 2024–2025. A total of 30 participants were selected using purposive sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly assigned to experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. Data collection instruments included the Illness Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (Salkovskis & Warwick, 2002), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; Beck et al., 1988), and Self-Care Questionnaire (Fallahi, 2015). Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with SPSS-22.
Results: The results showed that schema therapy significantly reduced anxiety and improved self-care in individuals with Illness Anxiety Disorder. The effect sizes were 0.73 for anxiety and 0.68 for self-care, indicating large effects. Significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups in both posttest scores (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Schema therapy is an effective intervention for reducing anxiety and improving self-care in individuals with Illness Anxiety Disorder. This therapeutic approach can be recommended as an effective treatment for this population.
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