Interpersonal reassurance seeking in obsessive-compulsive disorder and its relationship with checking compulsions

2012 ◽  
Vol 200 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 560-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladan Starcevic ◽  
David Berle ◽  
Vlasios Brakoulias ◽  
Peter Sammut ◽  
Karen Moses ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Reassurance Seeking ◽  
Compulsive Disorder

scholarly journals A Comparison of Manifestations and Impact of Reassurance Seeking among Japanese Individuals with OCD and Depression

2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 623-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamu Kobori ◽  
Yoko Sawamiya ◽  
Masaomi Iyo ◽  
Eiji Shimizu
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Reassurance Seeking ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Healthy Participants

Background: One of the most common interpersonal reactions to threat and anxiety is to seek reassurance from a trusted person. The Reassurance Seeking Questionnaire (ReSQ) measures several key aspects of reassurance seeking behaviour, including frequency, trust of sources, intensity, carefulness, and the emotional consequences of reassurance seeking. Aims: The current study compares patterns and consequences of reassurance seeking in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression. Method: ReSQ scores were compared for three groups: 32 individuals with OCD, 17 individuals with depression, and 24 healthy comparison participants. Results: We found that individuals with OCD tended to seek reassurance more intensely and employ self-reassurance more frequently than individuals with depression or healthy participants, and that if reassurance was not provided, they tended to feel a greater urge to seek additional reassurance. Conclusions: This study is the first to quantitatively elucidate differences in reassurance seeking between OCD and depression.

Intolerance of Uncertainty in OCD

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan J. Jacoby ◽  
Jonathan S. Abramowitz
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Reassurance Seeking ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Behavioral Methods ◽  
Cognitive Construct

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a key cognitive construct in the maintenance of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. Whereas most individuals feel “certain-enough” that situations are relatively safe, those with OCD who have elevated IU have difficulty managing the feeling of not knowing “for sure” whether a feared outcome may occur. As a result, they engage in compulsive rituals (e.g., checking, reassurance seeking) with the aim of restoring a sense of certainty. Given the pervasiveness of uncertainty in daily life, these doubts and rituals can lead to heightened daily distress for individuals with OCD. Accordingly, the present chapter reviews the following: (a) a comprehensive definition of IU, (b) the conceptualization of IU as important in the development and maintenance of OCD across various symptom presentations, (c) the measurement of IU using both self-report and behavioral methods, and (d) recommendations for the consideration of IU in OCD treatment.

scholarly journals Carer's perception of and reaction to reassurance seeking in obsessive compulsive disorder

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamu Kobori ◽  
Paul M. Salkovskis ◽  
Rowena Pagdin ◽  
Julie Read ◽  
Brynjar Halldorsson
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Reassurance Seeking ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Questionnaire Result ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Do So

AbstractThe purpose of the present study was to explore the experience of being asked for reassurance from the perspective of carers of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) sufferers, and to examine its relationship to sufferers’ reassurance seeking by a direct comparison with data obtained from the person they normally offer reassurance to. Forty-two individuals with OCD and their carers completed alternate versions of the Reassurance Seeking Questionnaire. Result suggest that carers report most commonly providing reassurance when asked to do so, and the frequency of their reassurance provision is associated with how carefully sufferers seek reassurance, rather than their OCD symptom severity. The carer's perspectives on the impact of reassurance provision was accurate; both sufferers and carers perceive that reassurance works only temporarily, but even if the anxiety-relieving effect of reassurance decreases in the medium term, it is likely to be perceived as beneficial because carers accurately perceived that sufferers would feel much worse if they refused to provide reassurance. The present study is the first to quantitatively investigate carer's experiences of reassurance provision, and elucidate why carers feel the need to provide it.

Patterns of Reassurance Seeking and Reassurance-Related Behaviours in OCD and Anxiety Disorders

2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamu Kobori ◽  
Paul M. Salkovskis
Keyword(s):  
Panic Disorder ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
The Other ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Reassurance Seeking ◽  
Compulsive Disorder

Background: Reassurance seeking is particularly prominent in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and may be important in OCD maintenance. Aims: This study used a new self-report questionnaire to measure the range of manifestations of reassurance-seeking behaviours, describing their sources from which they seek, frequency, process (how they seek), and consequences (as opposed to triggers and motivations). This study also attempts to identify the degree to which reassurance is specific to OCD as opposed to panic disorder. Method: Reassurance Seeking Questionnaire (ReSQ) was administered to 153 individuals with OCD, 50 individuals with panic disorder with/without agoraphobia, and 52 healthy controls. The reliability and validity of the measure was evaluated and found to be satisfactory. Results: Reassurance seeking was found to be more frequent in both anxiety disorders relative to healthy controls. Individuals diagnosed with OCD were found to seek reassurance more intensely and carefully, and were more likely to employ “self-reassurance” than the other two groups. Conclusions: Further investigation of reassurance will enable better understanding of its role in the maintenance of anxiety disorders in general and OCD in particular.

scholarly journals Reassurance-seeking behaviour, intolerance of uncertainty, and neurocognitive functioning in obsessive-compulsive disorder

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Orr
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Reassurance Seeking ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychological condition involving excessive reassurance-seeking (ERS), or repeated questioning of others about something perceived as threatening; low cognitive confidence; and intolerance of uncertainty (IU; Cougle et al., 2012; Nedeljkovic et al., 2009; Parrish, 2009). Relationships between these symptoms and several domains of cognitive functioning were examined in the present study. Thirty-five OCD patients and 34 healthy controls completed a battery of psychological questionnaires and neurocognitive measures. Results indicated that OCD patients reported greater levels of ERS than healthy controls in three different situations. Furthermore, significant relationships were identified between: (1) decision-related ERS and decision-making impairment, (2) cognitive confidence and decision-related ERS, and (3) a particular form of IU, inhibitory IU, and decision-making impairment. These findings are important, as these psychological symptoms are associated with negative outcomes. The relationships identified provide an important foundation for future research and the development of targeted interventions for these symptoms.

Behavioural Treatment of AIDS-Focused Illness Phobia

1991 ◽  
Vol 159 (3) ◽  
pp. 422-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Logsdail ◽  
Karina Lovell ◽  
Hilary Warwick ◽  
Isaac Marks
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Response Prevention ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Exposure And Response Prevention ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Behavioural Treatment ◽  
Reassurance Seeking ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Disorder Treatment

Seven cases are described in which the central symptoms were fear of contracting AIDS, avoidance of related cues, rituals and reassurance-seeking, Associated features include previous illness phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Treatment with exposure and response prevention (plus a cognitive session in one case), led to improvement sustained up to three months after discharge, although one patient stopped treatment prematurely. Controlled trials of behavioural treatment in hypochondriasis are required.

scholarly journals Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Excessive Reassurance Seeking in an Older Adult: A Single Case Quasi-Experimental Design

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 616-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brynjar Halldorsson ◽  
Paul M. Salkovskis
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Reassurance Seeking ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Excessive Reassurance Seeking ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Background: Cognitive behavioural interventions for excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) typically focus on encouraging individuals to refrain from seeking any reassurance and in some cases banning caregivers (e.g. family members) from providing it. However, this blanket consideration that reassurance is a bad thing that should simply be stopped may not always be appropriate or helpful. Cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT) targeting ERS by helping the sufferer to shift from seeking reassurance to seeking support may be a promising treatment intervention. Aims: This study aims to examine the targeted treatment of ERS in an older adult who has been suffering from severe obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) for seven decades. Method: Using a single case quasi-experimental design (ABCD), the frequency of reassurance seeking, urges to seek reassurance, OCD beliefs and anxiety were measured daily for almost a year in addition to standard symptom measures. Results: At the end of treatment, visual inspection showed that reassurance seeking was no longer considered excessive and OCD severity fell from the severe to non-clinical range across the treatment sessions. All treatment gains were maintained at follow-up. Conclusions: This study illustrates how CBT can be successfully applied to treat long-standing OCD and ERS in an older adult. Engendering support as an alternative to reassurance seeking in CBT may be a particularly promising intervention for ERS.

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