A COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT OF PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM ELECTRIC HYPERSENSITIVITY - SUBJECTIVE EFFECTS AND REACTIONS IN A DOUBLE-BLIND PROVOCATION STUDY

This study tested psychological treatment of patients with ''electric hypersensitivity.'' Seventeen patients were randomly assigned to a tre atment group or a waiting-list control group in a pretest-posttest con trol group design. The patients were also taking part in double-blind provocation tests before and after the treatment. Subjective ratings o f symptoms were registered and blood samples were taken and analyzed f or ''stress-related'' variables, such as prolactin, cortisol, dehydroe piandrosterone, and cholesterol levels. The patients in the experiment al group reduced their evaluations of the disability more than the con trol group did. This indicates that Psychological treatment may be of value in this disease. However, none of the psychophysiological measur es or the subjective reactions to the provocation test showed any sign ificant between-group difference. The conclusion from the provocation test is that this group of alleged hypersensitive patients did not rea ct to the electromagnetic fields.