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Cognitive behavioural therapy for a specific phobia of vomiting during pregnancy: a case study

Abstract:
Specific phobia of vomiting (SPOV) is a persistent, excessive fear of vomiting that is more prevalent in females, often begins in childhood and typically lasts 25 years before treatment is sought. It is a relatively neglected area of research, with most evidence consisting of single case studies. There are implications for the perinatal period, in particular the experience of pregnancy which for many involves symptoms of nausea and vomiting. However, there is a paucity of research on the experience of SPOV during pregnancy and currently no published treatment research. This study aimed to extend the existing literature by applying Veale’s (2009) protocol for SPOV to a pregnant client in her twenties. The intervention comprised 12 one-hour face-to-face sessions and was effective in significantly reducing anxiety (GAD-7 reduced from 7 to 0), depression (PHQ-9 reduced from 6 to 1), impaired functioning (WSAS reduced from 20 to 4) and vomiting phobia (SPOVI reduced from 40 to 0).
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1017/s1754470x25100421

Authors

More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Experimental Psychology
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Experimental Psychology
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Experimental Psychology
Oxford college:
Harris Manchester College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-3316-8155


Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Journal:
Cognitive Behaviour Therapist More from this journal
Volume:
19
Article number:
e2
Publication date:
2026-01-05
Acceptance date:
2025-11-13
DOI:
EISSN:
1754-470X


Language:
English
Pubs id:
2326927
Local pid:
pubs:2326927
Deposit date:
2025-12-05
ARK identifier:

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