The impact of experiential avoidance and obsessive beliefs on obsessive-compulsive symptoms in a severe clinical sample

Background: Hoarding is associated with significant impairment. Although traditionally considered as a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), some authors have proposed that pathological hoarding could be considered as a stand alone condition. The prevalence of pathological hoarding behaviour has been shown to be high in some countries, but little is known about the prevalence and correlates of hoarding in the non-clinical population in Italy. Method: We studied the prevalence of self-reported hoarding behaviour using the Italian version of the Saving Inventory-Revised, as well as the association between hoarding and various clinical correlates, including obsessive-compulsive symptoms, compulsive buying, anxiety, and depression. Results: The prevalence of pathological hoarding behaviour in two studies was between 3.7 and 6.0%. No differences were found between hoarding and non-hoarding participants with regard to gender, age, marital status, level of education, and employment status. Significant correlations were found between compulsive hoarding and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and also between hoarding and a measure of compulsive buying, even after controlling for anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: These results indicate that pathological hoarding may also be prevalent in Italy and highlight the need for further epidemiological studies using validated instruments to assess hoarding disorder.

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The Relative Contributions of Experiential Avoidance and Distress Tolerance to OC Symptoms

Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy ◽

10.1017/s1352465815000703 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 44 (4) ◽

pp. 460-471 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Shannon M. Blakey ◽

Ryan J. Jacoby ◽

Lillian Reuman ◽

Jonathan S. Abramowitz

Keyword(s):

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Distress Tolerance ◽

Explanatory Models ◽

Self Report ◽

Obsessive Beliefs ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Symptom Dimensions ◽

General Distress ◽

Internal States ◽

Nonclinical Sample

Background: Obsessive beliefs account for substantial (but not all) obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms. Intolerance of internal experiences (IIE), which encompasses the constructs of experiential avoidance (EA) and distress tolerance (DT), refers to difficulty managing unwanted thoughts, emotions, and other internal states, and might add to current explanatory models. Although IIE appears to be conceptually relevant to obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms, scant research has examined this relationship empirically. Aim: The present study examined the relative contributions of EA and DT as predictors of OC symptom dimensions. Method: A nonclinical sample (n = 496) completed self-report questionnaires measuring general distress, EA, DT and OC symptom dimensions. Results: All variables of interest were significantly (all ps ≤ .001) correlated with one another, such that higher general distress, higher EA, and lower DT were associated with greater OC symptom severity for all symptom dimensions; however, only EA independently predicted obsessional symptoms, but not other OC symptom dimensions. Conclusions: One's willingness to endure (i.e. EA), rather than their ability to tolerate (i.e. DT) unpleasant internal experiences best predicts obsessional symptoms (i.e. obsessing) above and beyond general distress. Potential implications for understanding, assessing, and treating OC symptoms are discussed.

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The impact of tics, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, and impulsivity on global functioning in Tourette syndrome

Psychiatry Research ◽

10.1016/j.psychres.2014.12.041 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 226 (1) ◽

pp. 156-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Yukiko Kano ◽

Toshiaki Kono ◽

Natsumi Matsuda ◽

Maiko Nonaka ◽

Hitoshi Kuwabara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tourette Syndrome ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Global Functioning ◽

Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms ◽

The Impact

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Stuck in my head: Musical obsessions and experiential avoidance

Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic ◽

10.1521/bumc.2020.84.suppa.48 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 84 (Supplement A) ◽

pp. 48-62

Author(s):

Lillian Reuman ◽

Jennifer Buchholz ◽

Jonathan Abramowitz

Keyword(s):

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Online Survey ◽

Past Research ◽

Empirical Literature ◽

Future Research ◽

Obsessive Beliefs ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Unique Predictor

Earworms refer to catchy tunes that run repeatedly through a person's mind. Empirical literature regarding earworms is scant; however, some researchers have conceptualized the phenomenon as an unwanted intrusion in the context of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The current study expands upon past research by characterizing the experience of earworms and examining associations of earworm-related distress and interference with theoretical constructs of interest, including obsessive beliefs and experiential avoidance. Two hundred forty participants completed an online survey regarding the experience of musical obsessions (e.g., duration, frequency, distress) and related theoretical constructs (e.g., experiential avoidance) of interest. Descriptive results regarding the frequency, duration, and associated distress and interference of earworms are presented. Furthermore, results reveal that experiential avoidance is a unique predictor of earworm-related distress and interference. Results suggest that interference and distress due to earworms may be related to attempts to suppress them. Study conclusions, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

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