The Effectiveness of Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy on Anxiety Sensitivity and Intrusive Obsessive Thoughts in High School Students

Objective: The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) on anxiety sensitivity and intrusive obsessive thoughts among high school students. Methods and Materials: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest–posttest design and a two-month follow-up, including a control group. The statistical population consisted of male and female high school students in Tehran in 2026. Following the initial screening process, participants completed the Taylor and Cox Anxiety Sensitivity Questionnaire and the Obsessive Thoughts Questionnaire developed by the Obsessive Compulsive Cognitions Working Group. Subsequently, 30 students were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received cognitive–behavioral therapy during eight 60-minute sessions based on the model proposed by Beck, Emery, and Greenberg, along with exposure and response prevention components developed by Foa and Kozak. The control group received no intervention during this period. Data were analyzed using the independent samples t-test, Fisher’s exact test, two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance, and Bonferroni post hoc tests in SPSS version 26. Findings: The results indicated that the experimental and control groups did not differ significantly in terms of demographic characteristics. Furthermore, the results of the two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance demonstrated a significant interaction effect between group and time on anxiety sensitivity and intrusive obsessive thoughts. Mean comparisons showed that anxiety sensitivity and intrusive obsessive thought scores decreased from the pretest to the posttest in the experimental group, and these reductions remained largely stable at the two-month follow-up assessment. In contrast, no substantial changes were observed in the control group. Conclusion: Based on the findings, cognitive–behavioral therapy can effectively reduce anxiety sensitivity and intrusive obsessive thoughts among high school students. Therefore, the implementation of this intervention in schools, student counseling centers, and psychological clinics may be beneficial for modifying catastrophic interpretations of anxiety-related symptoms, reducing avoidance behaviors, decreasing reassurance-seeking and repetitive checking behaviors, and improving the management of intrusive thoughts.