Predictors and Consequences of Suppressing Obsessional Thoughts

2007 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee J. Markowitz ◽  
Christine Purdon
Keyword(s):  
Negative Mood ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Behavioral Models ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Path Analyses ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Models ◽  
Obsessional Thought ◽  
Negative Appraisals

AbstractCognitive-behavioral models of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) assert that negative appraisals of obsessional thoughts lead to distress over the thoughts and drive ameliorative actions such as thought suppression and compulsions. These responses in turn play a role in the persistence of the disorder. However, past research has not examined (a) what factors lead individuals to suppress obsessional thoughts; (b) whether certain predictors and consequences relate to suppression uniquely or can be explained by general factors such as negative mood and neuroticism; or (c) individuals' natural active suppression of obsessions. The current study addresses these limitations by examining the roles of natural suppression and distress over thought intrusions in the thought-appraisal/OC symptoms relationship while controlling for general factors. Ninety-one nonclinical participants completed a variety of measures assessing theoretically relevant constructs. After their obsessional thought was primed, they recorded their thoughts for 6 minutes and then rated their suppression effort. Four hours later, longer-term outcomes were assessed. Path analyses supported most components of cognitive-behavioral models.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

2001 ◽  
pp. 169-204
Author(s):  
Peter D. McLean ◽  
Sheila R. Woody
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Planning ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Cognitive Appraisals ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Behavioral Models ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Models ◽  
Detailed Application

This chapter presents a description of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and the prevailing theory of OCD. It also reviews assessment issues related to diagnosis and treatment planning, along with the role of triggers, cognitive appraisals, feared consequences, and avoidance in the occurrence of obsessive thoughts. The chapter will concentrate on the detailed application of behavioral and cognitive behavioral models of treatment for OCD, since these approaches have been guided by empirical development.

We Do Not See Things as They Are, We See Them as We Are: A Multidimensional Worldview Model of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Doron ◽  
Michael Kyrios ◽  
Richard Moulding ◽  
Maja Nedeljkovic ◽  
Sunil Bhar
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Behavioral Models ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
The World ◽  
Nonclinical Sample ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Models ◽  
And Coping

Cognitive-behavioral models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) assign a central role to specific beliefs and coping strategies in the development, maintenance and exacerbation of obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms. These models also implicate perceptions of self and the world in the development and maintenance of OC phenomena (e.g., overestimation of threat, sociotropy, ambivalent or sensitive sense of self, looming vulnerability), although such self and world domains have not always been emphasized in recent research. Following recent recommendations (Doron & Kyrios, 2005), the present study undertook a multifaceted investigation of self and world perceptions in a nonclinical sample, using a coherent worldview framework (Janoff-Bulman, 1989, 1991). Beliefs regarding the self and the world were found to predict OC symptom severity over and above beliefs outlined in traditional cognitive-behavioral models of OCD. Self and world beliefs were also related to other OC-relevant beliefs. Implications of these findings for theory and treatment of OCD are discussed.

Thought Control Strategies Used by Parents Reporting Postpartum Obsessions

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 435-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin E. Larsen ◽  
Stefanie A. Schwartz ◽  
Stephen P. Whiteside ◽  
Maheruh Khandker ◽  
Katherine M. Moore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Treatment Seeking ◽  
Behavioral Models ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Thought Control ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Thought Control Strategies ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Models

Previous research has established that parents commonly experience intrusive harm-related thoughts pertaining to their infants (e.g., “My baby might die from SIDS”). Cognitive-behavioral models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) posit that maladaptive strategies for managing such thoughts play a role in the development and maintenance of obsessional problems. In the present study, we examined (1) the strategies parents used to manage unwanted infant-related thoughts and (2) the relationships between thought control strategies and obsessional and depressive symptoms. Non-treatment-seeking parents (n = 75) of healthy newborns completed measures of intrusive thoughts, thought control strategies, and obsessional and depressive symptoms. Mothers and fathers did not differ in their use of various thought control strategies. Strategies involving distraction, self-punishment, and reappraisal of the intrusive thought were positively related to the severity of obsessional symptoms. Punishment was also positively associated with depressive symptoms. Results are discussed in terms cognitive-behavioral models of OCD.

scholarly journals Can Brief, Daily Training Using a Mobile App Help Change Maladaptive Beliefs? Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Roncero ◽  
Amparo Belloch ◽  
Guy Doron
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Behavioral Models ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Significant Treatment ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Inflated Responsibility ◽  
Maladaptive Beliefs

BACKGROUND Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disabling condition with a wide variety of clinical presentations including contamination fears, fear of harm, and relationship-related obsessions. Cognitive behavioral models of OCD suggest that OC symptoms result from catastrophic misinterpretations of commonly occurring intrusive experiences and associated dysfunctional strategies used to manage them. OCD-related maladaptive beliefs including inflated responsibility, importance and control of thoughts, perfectionism, and intolerance for uncertainty increase the likelihood of such misinterpretations. OBJECTIVE Considering accumulating evidence suggesting that mobile health (mHealth) apps based on cognitive-behavioral principles may lead to significant reductions in psychopathological symptoms, we assessed the effectiveness of a novel cognitive training app (GGRO) designed to challenge OCD-related beliefs. METHODS A total of 97 students were randomized to groups undertaking immediate-use (iApp) or delayed use (dApp) of GGRO. All participants were requested to complete Web-based assessments, with questionnaires relating to maladaptive beliefs, mood, and OC symptoms at baseline (T1), 15 days from baseline (T2), and 30 days from baseline (T3). Participants in iApp group started using the app at baseline and continued using the app for 15 consecutive days. They were then requested to stop using the app until T3. Participants in the dApp group were requested to wait for 15 days and only then start using the app (crossover) for 15 consecutive days. RESULTS All participants used the app for a mean of 14.07 (SD 1.41) days with 2.94 levels per day. Consistent with previous findings, app use was associated with medium-large effect size reductions in both iApp (n=51) and dApp (n=46) groups. In the iApp group, all effects remained significant during the 15 days of follow-up. Analyses focusing on the first two assessment occasions revealed significant treatment × repeated measures interactions on maladaptive beliefs, several OC symptom measures, and self-esteem. CONCLUSIONS This study provides further evidence for the efficacy of GGRO as a mobile-delivered training exercise that is useful for reducing OCD-related beliefs and symptoms. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03571464; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03571464 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/7675sYPsH)

Advances in Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Related Disorders Other than OCD?

2021 ◽  
pp. 384-406
Author(s):  
Abel S. Mathew ◽  
Ivar Snorrason ◽  
Martha J. Falkenstein ◽  
Han-Joo Lee
Keyword(s):  
Body Dysmorphic Disorder ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Behavioral Models ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Promising Area ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Models ◽  
Therapy Interventions ◽  
Hair Pulling Disorder

The most recent version of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders includes a new chapter on obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs) that lists five main diagnoses: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, excoriation disorder (skin-picking disorder; SPD), and trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder; HPD). While the latter two conditions share some characteristics with OCD, there are also important differences. This chapter reviews the clinical characteristics of SPD and HPD, presents cognitive-behavioral models of these disorders, provides an overview of core cognitive-behavioral therapy interventions and treatment packages, and reviews recent advances in the use of technology in the treatment of these conditions. The understanding and treatment of SPD and HPD represents a promising area of research with the hope of improving the lives of those who struggle with these debilitating disorders.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan S. Abramowitz
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Behavioral Models ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Models ◽  
The One

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the most destructive psychological disorders. Its symptoms often interfere with work or school, interpersonal relationships, and with activities of daily living (e.g., driving, using the bathroom). Moreover, the psychopathology of OCD is seemingly complex: sufferers battle ubiquitous unwanted thoughts, doubts, and images that, while senseless on the one hand, are perceived as signs of danger on the other hand. The thematic variation and elaborate relations between behavioral and cognitive signs and symptoms can be perplexing to even the most experienced of observers. Cognitive-behavioral models of OCD explain these phenomena and account for their heterogeneity. These models also have implications for how OCD is treated using exposure and response prevention, which research indicates are effective short- and long-term interventions.

Uncertain and Fused: Cognitive Fusion, Thought-Action Fusion, and the Intolerance of Uncertainty as Predictors of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptom Dimensions

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lillian Reuman ◽  
Jennifer Buchholz ◽  
Shannon Blakey ◽  
Jonathan S. Abramowitz
Keyword(s):  
Relational Frame Theory ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Behavioral Models ◽  
Cognitive Fusion ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Symptom Dimensions ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Models ◽  
Unique Predictor ◽  
Thought Action Fusion

Cognitive-behavioral models of obsessions, although widely accepted, do not entirely explain obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms. Constructs from relational frame theory (RFT; e.g., cognitive fusion—the tendency for behavior to be overly regulated and influenced by cognition) may improve our understanding of OC symptoms above and beyond cognitive-behavioral constructs (e.g., intolerance of uncertainty [IU]). This study examined the extent to which cognitive fusion accounts for unique variability in four OC symptom dimensions: contamination, responsibility for harm, unacceptable thoughts, and order/symmetry. Participants completed measures of cognitive fusion, general distress, thought action fusion, IU, and OC symptoms. Regression analyses showed that IU and thought-action fusion (TAF) were significant predictors across the OC symptom dimensions; however, cognitive fusion was only a unique predictor of the unacceptable thoughts symptom dimension. Results support the notion that RFT may best relate to the unacceptable thoughts domain of OCD. Study findings, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

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