Browsing by Author "Byam, Layton"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Do metacognitions contribute to health anxiety when controlling for OCD comorbidity?
    (2023) Styba-Nelson, Kevin; Byam, Layton; Penney, Alexander
    Previous research has found that dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs about health are associated with health anxiety (HA), even when controlling for depression, anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) overlaps with HA, but OCD symptoms have not been controlled for in prior studies that examined metacognitive beliefs about health. The current study examined if metacognitive beliefs about health remain associated with HA when OCD and anxiety sensitivity were accounted for. An undergraduate sample (N = 400) completed online self-report questionnaires of OCD symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, metacognitive beliefs about health, and HA. OCD symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, and metacognitive beliefs about health all showed moderate to strong bivariate correlations with HA. A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted where OCD symptoms were entered in the first step, anxiety sensitivity was entered in the second step, and metacognitive beliefs were entered in the last step. Metacognitive beliefs about the uncontrollability of illness-related thoughts, along with OCD symptoms and anxiety sensitivity about physical concerns, were found to be uniquely predictive of HA. These findings support previous research establishing a link between metacognitive beliefs and HA, and expand upon them by suggesting the relationship is not accounted for by OCD symptoms.
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    Exploring which anxiety-related disorder symptoms and mechanisms are associated with COVID-19 anxiety
    (2022) Byam, Layton; Penney, Alexander
    In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a rise in anxiety has been reported among the population. This rise coincides with the introduction of COVID-19 anxiety, which is the fear and emotional distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research has found an association between COVID-19 anxiety and symptoms of health anxiety, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. COVID-19 anxiety has also been associated with mechanisms such as anxiety sensitivity, maladaptive metacognitions, intolerance of uncertainty, and the emotion of disgust. In the current study, self-report questionnaires were used to examine which anxiety-related disorder symptoms, and related mechanisms, were associated with COVID-19 anxiety. A total of 593 MacEwan students completed the study between September 2020 and February 2021. A set of regression analyses examined which anxiety-related disorder symptoms were uniquely associated with COVID-19 anxiety. The two symptoms most associated with COVID-19 anxiety were health anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms. When examining the anxiety-related mechanisms, a second set of regression analyses identified disgust sensitivity and health anxiety-specific intolerance of uncertainty as having the strongest association with COVID-19 anxiety. Based on these findings, clinicians may wish to screen for COVID-19 anxiety in clients experiencing health anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, or panic disorder symptoms. Lastly, clinicians may find it helpful to target the clients' responses to feelings of disgust, and their health anxiety-specific intolerance of uncertainty, when working with clients experiencing high levels of COVID-19 anxiety.
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    Exploring which anxiety-related disorder symptoms and mechanisms are associated with COVID-19 anxiety
    (2022) Byam, Layton; Penney, Alexander
    In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a rise in anxiety has been reported among the population. This rise coincides with the introduction of COVID-19 anxiety, which is the fear and emotional distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research has found an association between COVID-19 anxiety and symptoms of health anxiety, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. COVID-19 anxiety has also been associated with dysfunctional beliefs such as anxiety sensitivity, maladaptive metacognitions, and intolerance of uncertainty. Additionally, COVID-19 anxiety has been associated with the emotion of disgust. However, the association of these factors with COVID-19 anxiety has not been explored together in a single study. In the current study, self-report questionnaires were used to examine which anxiety-related disorder symptoms, and related mechanisms, were associated with COVID-19 anxiety. A total of 593 MacEwan students completed the study between September 2020 and February 2021. A set of regression analyses examined which anxiety-related disorder symptoms were uniquely associated with COVID-19 anxiety. The two symptoms most associated with COVID-19 anxiety were health anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms. Additionally, panic disorder symptoms were also found to be associated. When examining the anxiety-related mechanisms, a second set of regression analyses identified disgust sensitivity and health anxiety-specific intolerance of uncertainty as having the strongest association with COVID-19 anxiety. Further, a maladaptive metacognitive belief related to thinking about one's health, as well as the physical and cognitive aspects of anxiety sensitivity, were associated with COVID-19 anxiety. Based on these findings, clinicians may wish to screen for COVID-19 anxiety in clients experiencing health anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, or panic disorder symptoms. Lastly, clinicians may find it helpful to target the clients' responses to feelings of disgust, and their health anxiety-specific intolerance of uncertainty, when working with clients experiencing high levels of COVID-19 anxiety.
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    The relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and anxiety disorder symptoms
    (2021) Byam, Layton; Penney, Alexander
    The COVID-19 pandemic has increased anxiety amongst the general population. Several scales have been developed to measure COVID-19 anxiety, including the Coronavirus 19 Phobia Scale (CP19-S), the Fear of Coronavirus Scale (FCV-19S) and the COVID Stress Scales (CSS). The present study examined if COVID-19 anxiety was associated with symptoms of specific anxiety-related disorders. A non-clinical university sample (N = 416) completed online measures of health anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms, along with the CP19-S, FCV-19S, and CSS. All three COVID-19 anxiety scales correlated with symptoms of each anxiety-related disorder, rs = .38 – .62. Three multiple regression analyses were conducted. Panic disorder symptoms were a unique predictor of COVID-19 anxiety on the CP19-S, p = .020, and FCV-19S, p = .018. Obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms predicted COVID-19 anxiety on the CP19-S, p < .001, and CSS, p < .001. However, health anxiety was the strongest predictor of COVID-19 anxiety on all three measures, ps < .001. The findings show that health anxiety, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms are particularly relevant to COVID-19 anxiety. Therapists with clients experiencing obsessive-compulsive, panic, or health anxiety symptoms may wish to screen for COVID-19 anxiety.
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    Transdiagnostic and unique mechanisms of health anxiety, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder
    (2022) Byam, Layton; Penney, Alexander
    The present study examined the transdiagnostic and unique mechanisms that may be associated with health anxiety (HA), panic disorder (PD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. A non-clinical university sample (N = 549) completed measures of HA, PD, and OCD symptoms. Participants also completed measures of anxiety sensitivity, disgust propensity and sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, metacognitions related to health, and body vigilance. Each of these mechanisms moderately to strongly correlated with the symptom scales. A multiple regression analysis was conducted for each symptom scale. Anxiety sensitivity was found to be a transdiagnostic predictor of HA, PD, and OCD. The metacognitive belief that thinking positively about one's health will lead to negative outcomes was associated with both PD and OCD. Additionally, body vigilance was associated with both HA and PD. Unique factors associated with HA were HA-specific intolerance of uncertainty and the metacognitive belief that thoughts are uncontrollable. PD was associated with PD-specific intolerance of uncertainty. Lastly, OCD was associated with OCD-specific intolerance of uncertainty, depression-specific intolerance of uncertainty, and disgust sensitivity. The findings demonstrate that while HA, PD, and OCD share transdiagnostic mechanisms, each can be distinguished by disorder-specific mechanisms. Therapists may wish to target both transdiagnostic and disorder-specific mechanisms in their treatment plan when working with clients presenting HA, PD, or OCD symptoms.
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    Undergraduate student experience of COVID-19 anxiety: opinions, dysfunctional beliefs, and anxiety symptoms
    (2021) Byam, Layton; Penney, Alexander
    The COVID-19 pandemic is an international health crisis that has changed the experience of undergraduate students across Canada. As of February 23rd, 2021, Canadian officials have reported over 800 thousand cases and 21 thousand deaths due to COVID-19. Additionally, there has been a rise in anxiety reported throughout the general population. The current study aims to examine the links between anxiety disorder symptoms, anxiety-related dysfunctional beliefs, and COVID-19-related anxiety in an undergraduate sample. Additionally, the study seeks to examine how COVID-19 anxiety, anxiety disorder symptoms, and anxiety-related dysfunctional beliefs are related to undergraduate students' opinions of their current school circumstances and pandemic experience. To measure students' COVID-19 anxiety, participants completed the Coronavirus 19 Phobia Scale, the Fear of Coronavirus Scale, and the COVID Stress Scales. Participants also completed online measures of health anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms. To measure participants' anxiety-related dysfunctional beliefs, scales were completed to measure anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, metacognitions, disgust propensity and sensitivity, somatosensory amplification, and body vigilance. The investigated opinions included attitudes towards in-person classes, campus life, conspiratorial beliefs, and their anticipated physical response to potentially contracting COVID-19. Additionally, participants reported the perceived risk to themselves and those around them if they contracted the virus. Data was collected from a total of 593 MacEwan students between September 2020 and January 2021. Preliminary findings will be presented at Student Research Day.
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    Undergraduate student experience of COVID-19 anxiety: opinions, dysfunctional beliefs, and anxiety symptoms
    (2021) Byam, Layton; Penney, Alexander
    The COVID-19 pandemic is an international health crisis that has changed the experience of undergraduate students across Canada. As of February 23rd, 2021, Canadian officials have reported over 800 thousand cases and 21 thousand deaths due to COVID-19. Additionally, there has been a rise in anxiety reported throughout the general population. The current study aims to examine the links between anxiety disorder symptoms, anxiety-related dysfunctional beliefs, and COVID-19-related anxiety in an undergraduate sample. Additionally, the study seeks to examine how COVID-19 anxiety, anxiety disorder symptoms, and anxiety-related dysfunctional beliefs are related to undergraduate students' opinions of their current school circumstances and pandemic experience. To measure students' COVID-19 anxiety, participants completed the Coronavirus 19 Phobia Scale, the Fear of Coronavirus Scale, and the COVID Stress Scales. Participants also completed online measures of health anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms. To measure participants' anxiety-related dysfunctional beliefs, scales were completed to measure anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, metacognitions, disgust propensity and sensitivity, somatosensory amplification, and body vigilance. The investigated opinions included attitudes towards in-person classes, campus life, conspiratorial beliefs, and their anticipated physical response to potentially contracting COVID-19. Additionally, participants reported the perceived risk to themselves and those around them if they contracted the virus. Data was collected from a total of 593 MacEwan students between September 2020 and January 2021. Preliminary findings will be presented at Student Research Day.
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    Which dysfunctional beliefs may be contributing to COVID-19 anxiety?
    (2021) Byam, Layton; Penney, Alexander
    Mental health issues have increased in the population since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, anxiety and fear related to COVID-19 has emerged, with limited research looking at which problematic beliefs may contribute to COVID-19 anxiety. Since specific dysfunctional beliefs have been shown to play a role in anxiety-related disorders, these same beliefs may also contribute to COVID-19 anxiety. The current study examined the link between COVID-19 anxiety and dysfunctional beliefs. A non-clinical undergraduate sample (N = 416) completed two established measures of COVID-19 anxiety: the COVID Stress Scales (CSS) and the Fear of Coronavirus Scale (FCV-19S). Additionally, participants completed measures of anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, metacognitions, disgust propensity and sensitivity, somatosensory amplification, and body vigilance. All the dysfunctional beliefs had low to moderate correlations with the CSS, rs = .24 - .55, and the FCV-19S, rs = .12 - .51. Multiple regression analyses were conducted on the CSS and FCV-19S. The belief that anxiety may damage one’s mind was a unique predictor of CSS scores, p = .005, while the belief that anxiety may lead to heart failure was found to be a unique predictor of FCV-19S scores, p < .001. The metacognitive belief that illness can be prevented or caused by the way an individual thinks was a unique predictor of COVID-19 anxiety on both the CSS, p < .001, and the FCV-19S, p = .032. Additionally, disgust sensitivity was associated with COVID-19 anxiety on both the CSS, p < .001, and the FCV-19S, p = .004. These findings establish that COVID-19 anxiety is related to anxiety sensitivity, metacognitions, and disgust sensitivity. Therapists who work with clients with COVID-19 anxiety may find that these specific dysfunctional beliefs increase the anxiety. Therefore, therapists may wish to target these beliefs in their treatment plan.