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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The purpose of the review of literature presented here is to examine behavioral treatment efficacy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The reviewed studies are each discussed in terms of their general purpose, methods of data collection and analysis, and the validity of their conclusions.

Behavioral Treatment for OCD: Review of the Literature

OCD is an anxiety disorder most commonly characterized by intrusive and uncontrollable thoughts accompanied by a need to perform specific acts repeatedly (usually termed "ritualistic behavior."). A number of stimuli can trigger ritualistic behavior with the severity of the urge differing from stimulus to stimulus. In many studies, treatment is said to be successful to the extent that the triggering stimuli are no longer responded to with ritualistic behavior; in other studies, success is said to include not only the reduction of ritualistic behavior but also the reduction of secondary symptoms such as mood.

As noted by Emmelkamp and Kraanen (1977), in vivo exposure (the direct exposure of the patient to stimuli that elicits ritualistic behavior, usually in hierarchial order) has been associated with relatively good success rates. In their study of in vivo exposure for the treatment of OCD, Emmelkamp and Kraanen sought to expand the existing research in this area through an examination of whether the success of in vivo exposure significantly differed depending upon whether exposure to the triggering stimuli was controlled by the therapist or by the patient.

Measures of anxiety and avoidance, anxious mood, depression, and obsessional behavior (as measured by a self-report questionnaire) showed significant improvement in both treatment groups from pretest to posttest and follow-up. Moreover, posttest and follow-up data showed no significant differences between groups, leading Emmelkamp and Kraanen (1977) to conclude that:

Self-controlled exposure to in vivo proved to b...

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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 11:39, March 29, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1692523.html