SUGGESTIBILITY IN HYPOCHONDRIACAL PATIENTS AND HEALTHY CONTROL SUBJECTS - AN EXPERIMENTAL CASE-CONTROL STUDY

This study examined suggestibility to bodily sensations in hypochondri acal patients and healthy subjects. Both groups participated in an exp eriment in which electrical current was announced but not delivered. S uggestibility was measured by the number of responses and by response latencies. The authors hypothesized that the hypochondriacal patients would be more easily influenced by the expectation of a forthcoming st imulus, leading to higher and quicker ''stimulus detection'' rates tha n those experienced by the healthy subjects. In contrast to these expe ctations, the healthy subjects showed higher response frequencies and lower response latencies. Thus, the hypochondriacal patients appeared to be less influenced by the expectation that was raised. The theoreti cal and clinical implications of the results are discussed.