Symptoms Of Contamination-related Obsessive-compulsive Disorder Research Articles

The Impact of Modifying Interpretive Bias on Contamination-Related Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms

Cognitive-behavioural models of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) propose that a tendency to negatively interpret ambiguous thoughts and situations plays a key role in maintaining the disorder. Moreover, some researchers have proposed that negative interpretive biases may share a common processing mechanism with attentional biases, with changes in one predicted to lead to changes in the other. The current study examined whether training positive (i.e., adaptive) interpretive bias of contamination-related OCD concerns using a cognitive bias modification paradigm (CBM-I) would lead to reductions in contamination concerns, as well as changes in contamination-related attentional bias. Undergraduate students with high levels of contamination-related OCD symptoms were randomly assigned to receive either positive (n = 31) or neutral (n = 33) CBM-I training. Participants in the positive training condition, relative to the neutral training condition, showed a significantly greater increase in positive interpretive bias, significantly less within-session behavioural avoidance of contaminants, and significantly reduced contamination-related cognitions (at one-week follow-up). Contrary to expectations, CBM-I training did not differentially impact attentional bias nor self-reported contamination-related OCD symptoms. We discuss future directions in applying CBM-I to contamination-related OCD.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder-contamination fears, features, and treatment: novel smartphone therapies in light of global mental health and pandemics (COVID-19).

This review aims to shed light on the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with a focus on contamination fears. In addition, we will briefly review the current therapies for OCD and detail what their limitations are. A key focus will be on discussing how smartphone solutions may provide approaches to novel treatments, especially when considering global mental health and the challenges imposed by rural environments and limited resources; as well as restrictions imposed by world-wide pandemics such as COVID-19. In brief, research that questions this review will seek to address include: (1) What are the symptoms of contamination-related OCD? (2) How effective are current OCD therapies and what are their limitations? (3) How can novel technologies help mitigate challenges imposed by global mental health and pandemics/COVID-19.

Approaching contamination-related stimuli with an implicit Approach-Avoidance Task: Can it reduce OCD symptoms? An online pilot study

Background and objectivesDual-process models suggest that automatic behavioral tendencies contribute to the development and maintenance of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of the Approach-Avoidance Task (AAT) to reduce OCD symptoms and associated distress. MethodsThe study was set up as an online intervention. Participants with OCD symptoms (N = 101) were randomly assigned either to one of two experimental conditions or a waitlist control group upon completion of an online baseline survey. Participants were instructed to respond to contamination-related and neutral pictures by pulling or pushing a computer mouse, respectively. In one AAT condition, contamination-relevant pictures remained on the screen one second after pulling (lock condition), while pictures disappeared immediately after pulling in the standard AAT. Participants completed an online re-assessment four weeks after baseline. ResultsFor analyses, only data of patients with contamination-related OCD symptoms were analyzed. A significant reduction in distress caused by OCD symptoms was found for both AAT training groups. Furthermore, a reduction in compulsions occurred for the group using the standard AAT. No significant effect was found for the control group. LimitationsImplicit behavioral tendencies prior to and after training were not assessed. ConclusionsFindings tentatively suggest that the AAT might be effective in reducing washing-/contamination-related OCD symptoms.

The role of disgust propensity and trait guilt in OCD symptoms: A multiple regression model in a clinical sample

The relationship between disgust propensity (DP) and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), particularly with contamination-related OCD symptoms, has been widely recognized. The relationship between trait guilt (TG) and OCD has been less investigated, although some studies have explored the role of guilt in OCD, and found that it may precede, motivate or be a consequence of OCD symptoms. The present study analyzed the role of TG and DP in OCD, focusing on different types of OCD symptoms. Dimensional self-report measures of DP, TG and OCD were administered to a clinical sample (98 OCD patients), and measures of depression and anxiety were also included as control variables. At a bivariate level, DP was moderately correlated with only the Contamination and Symmetry dimensions of OCD. There were weak but significant correlations between TG and the Responsibility for harm and mistakes and Unacceptable thoughts OCD dimensions only. Results from subsequent hierarchical regression analyses indicated that DP was predictive of contamination and symmetry OCD symptoms above and beyond depression and anxiety. Unexpectedly, TG did not significantly predict any OCD symptom. Theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Disgust propensity and contamination-related OCD symptoms: The mediating role of mental contamination

Fear of contamination within obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is traditionally conceptualized as a physical phenomenon. Research has also supported the notion of mental contamination (MC), in which people feel contaminated in the absence of contact with a physical pollutant. In the last decades, a growing number of studies has been centered on the role of disgust propensity (DP) in contamination-related OCD (OCD-C) symptoms. However, the relationship between MC, DP and OCD-C symptoms has not been thoroughly explored. The aims of this study were: (1) to investigate the prevalence of MC in a sample of OCD-C patients; (2) to explore the association between MC, DP and OCD-C symptoms in a sample of OCD patients; and (3) to analyze the role of MC as a mediator in this relationship. Sixty-three patients with OCD-C symptoms completed a series of self-report questionnaires that assessed mental contamination, disgust propensity, OCD symptoms, anxiety, and depression. Significant correlations were found between DP, MC and OCD-C symptoms, controlling for anxiety and depression. Mediation analysis indicated that MC plays a mediating role in the relationship between DP and OCD-C symptoms. These data support the need for specific assessment of MC in clinical settings, particularly where feelings of disgust are involved.

Expectancy bias for disgust and emotional responding in contamination-related obsessive-compulsive disorder

The present study examines the relation between disgust and contamination-related obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms (OCD) in an analog sample. The results showed that disgust sensitivity is significantly correlated with contamination-related OCD. Participants high in contamination OCD (HOCD) generally report significantly more disgust than low contamination-related OCD (LOCD) participants. We also examined if differential disgust UCS expectancies exists in contamination OCD using a thought experiment. Participants estimated the probability that fear, disgust, and neutral stimuli (conditioned stimuli) would be followed by a fear, disgust, or neutral facial expression (unconditioned stimuli) in the thought experiment. Although no significant differences were found between the two groups on expectancies for disgust outcomes to be associated with disgust-relevant stimuli, HOCD participants showed a marginal bias towards overestimating the occurrence of disgust outcomes to be associated with fear-relevant stimuli, while underestimating the occurrence of disgust outcomes to be associated with neutral stimuli. HOCD participants also reported more fear and disgust to fear-relevant and disgust-relevant stimuli than LOCD participants. However, subsequent analysis revealed that disgust sensitivity mediated fear and disgust responding to threat stimuli. These findings highlight the potential importance of disgust in the phenomenology of contamination-related OCD.