Level of outcome | Outcome measures |
---|---|
Primary outcome | Anxiety levels (BAI) [28] |
Secondary outcomes | Autonomic trait prediction error (calculated by z- transforming the mean proportional rise in heart rate on active stand [orthostasis] and subtracting the z-transformed orthostatic sub-scale of the Autonomic Symptoms of Quality of Life Score [40] for each participant) |
Interoceptive trait prediction error (i.e. the mismatch between objective interoceptive accuracy and subjective interoceptive sensibility [44]) will be calculated using the difference between interoceptive sensitivity (i.e. accuracy) and sensibility. Interoceptive sensibility and interoceptive sensitivity scores will be z-transformed and one subtracted from the other. Interoceptive sensitivity score will be calculated across the heartbeat tracking trials at assessment using this equation [44, 45]: \( 1-\frac{\left|{\mathrm{nbeats}}_{\mathrm{real}}-{\mathrm{nbeats}}_{\mathrm{reported}}\right|}{\left({\mathrm{nbeats}}_{\mathrm{real}}+{\mathrm{nbeats}}_{\mathrm{reported}}/2\right)} \) for heartbeat discrimination trials, this will be calculated by: number of correct trials / number of total trials in assessment Interoceptive sensibility will be assessed using the total score from the Body Perception Questionnaire [39]. | |
Presence/absence of psychiatric disorder as evidenced by the MINI [27]: Major depressive episode, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and generalised anxiety disorder | |
Psychiatric symptomatology as evidenced by scores on the: 1. GAD-7 [43] 2. PHQ-9 [32] 3. Work and Social Adjustment Scale [33] 4. Anxiety Sensitivity Index [35] 5. Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 [36] 6. Dissociative Experiences Scale [37] 7. Panic Disorder Severity Scale [38] | |
Feasibility and acceptability measures of RCT (e.g. practicability, tolerability, Satisfaction with Therapy questionnaire [46]) |