Why Do People with OCD and Health Anxiety Seek Reassurance Excessively? An Investigation of Differences and Similarities in Function

Brynjar Halldorsson,Paul M Salkovskis

doi:10.1007/s10608-016-9826-5

Brynjar Halldorsson, Paul M Salkovskis

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-016-9826-5

Copy DOI

Abstract

Excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) is commonly reported in patients who have OCD or health anxiety. Despite its prevalence and associated risk of ongoing difficulties, little is known about the function of ERS. It has been conceptualised as a type of compulsive checking behaviour, but could also be seen as being a supportive maneuver. This study offers a new approach towards defining ERS and support seeking (SS), and similarities between these two constructs in a sample of OCD and health anxious patients. A semi-structured interview was employed. Participants reflected on the nature and goals of their reassurance and support seeking—its impact on themselves and other people. Twenty interviews were conducted, transcribed and analysed in accordance to framework thematic analysis. Six overarching themes were identified in terms of ERS and five for SS. Results revealed limited diagnosis specificity of ERS. Strikingly, participants with health anxiety did not report seeking support.

Highlights

Excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) is prominent in people who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and health anxiety (HA) (Abramowitz andMoore 2007; Kobori and Salkovskis 2013; Salkovskis and Warwick 1986; Salkovskis et al 2003)
For 19.9 years (SD 8.03) and the HA group had been suffering from health anxiety for 9.7 years (SD 3.20)
An independent samples t-test revealed no significant differences between the groups on self-reported depression (as measured by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) t(18) = −0.753, p = 0.46; and BDI; t(18) = −1.129, p = 0.274) or anxiety (as measured by GAD-7; t(18) = −0.816, p = 0.42; and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI); t(18) = −1.395, p = 0.180)

Summary

Introduction

Excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) is prominent in people who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and health anxiety (HA) (Abramowitz andMoore 2007; Kobori and Salkovskis 2013; Salkovskis and Warwick 1986; Salkovskis et al 2003). It is possible that empirical analysis into ERS has been hampered by a lack of adequate definitions of key concepts including ‘reassurance’ and ‘support’, as well as limited understanding of the difference between support, appropriate reassurance, and pathological reassurance seeking and giving of the type often clinically considered to be crucial to the maintenance of anxiety problems

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion