An established script-driven mental imagery task was used to investigate fear responses to imagery of contracting a potentially life-threatening disease.
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Health anxiety is associated with increased fear responses to COVID-19 related mental images.
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The association with fearful mental imagery of COVID-19 scripts was not observed for other psychological factors.
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There was no association of health anxiety with fear responses to imagery of standard fear scripts.
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Fearful imagery of contracting COVID-19 might be a relevant factor contributing to the development and maintenance of health anxiety.
Abstract
Background
Aversive mental images of contracting or having a severe disease are assumed to contribute to the development and maintenance of health anxiety (HA) via the elicitation of fear, arousal and defensive mobilization. The current COVID-19 pandemic is known to trigger fears of contracting COVID-19.
Methods
In this study, we used an experimental approach to investigate whether COVID-19-related mental images lead to a fearful response and whether this is associated with levels of HA. 139 participants vividly imagined neutral, standard fear and COVID-19 related narrative scenes.
Results
Standard fear and COVID-19 scripts prompted higher anxiety, arousal, displeasure and avoidance tendencies as compared to neutral scripts. HA was associated with higher anxiety, arousal, displeasure, imagery vividness and stronger avoidance tendencies during imagery of COVID-19 scenes. No associations were found for anxiety sensitivity, trait anxiety as well as depressive and anxiety symptoms. Moreover, there was no association of HA with emotional responses during imagery of standard fear scenes.
Limitations
Fear responses were assessed via verbal reports. Future studies should also assess behavioral and physiological correlates of fear.
Conclusions
The present results indicate that individuals with high levels of HA are prone to fearful mental imagery of contracting COVID-19 which might be crucial factor contributing to the exacerbation and chronicity of excessive HA in times of a pandemic.
