Ocd Theory

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterised by unreasonable and invasive impulsions, images or thoughts. OCD encompasses two factors: obsessions and compulsions to which individuals may experience obsessions, compulsions or both (Andersen and Bech, 1981). To relieve these unwarranted desires individuals with OCD perform behaviours or acts that they feel compelled to do. There are multiple theories concerning the development and maintenance of OCD including: the behavioural theory, cognitive behavioural theory and the biological theory. This essay will focus on the behavioural theory and its hypothesis on the role of classical and operant conditioning in the onset and continuance of the disorder. Moreover many treatments
ERP involves eliciting a fear or anxiety driven response through exposing participants to a stimulus and then controlling their response to prevent participants from performing their compulsive routines and gain extinction learning. Whereas CT involves the intervention on the dysfunctional beliefs surrounding the obsessions and compulsions that individuals hold in order to adjust their beliefs with reality. Whittal, Thordarson and McLean (2005) compared the effectiveness of ERP and CT in an individual and group setting. 83 subjects who had presented with OCD symptoms for over one year, were randomly assigned into two treatment conditions: ERP or CT. The results from the Whittal et al. (2005) study exemplified that treated individually ERP and CT were equally as effective, However, in an earlier study by McClean et al. (2001) produced results that conveyed that in a group treatment environment ERP was the most effective method. However participants also found ERP distressing and inhibited their ability to carry on with treatment (Whittal et al., 2005). The results from both studies provide evidence to how effective treatment is dependent on the situation and the
CCT employs the same methods of Cognition Therapy but includes methods to develop copying strategies post treatment (Ma et al., 2013). Ma et al. (2013) conducted research into the efficacy of CCT and aimed to determine if CCT would be a more sustainable treatment than current Cognitive Behavior Therapies and Pharmacotherapies. In the double blind study one hundred and forty five OCD patients were randomly assigned to either an SRI alone or an SRI paired with CCT. The study found that patients who received the pharmacotherapy SRI coupled with CCT had faster responses to treatment and longevity of OCD prevention than subjects only administered the SRI. Although the results showed that CCT increased success rates with individuals taking a pharmacotherapy drug, it leaves the question of the success rates without the drug, which would allow comparison to CBT’s. However despite this Ma et al. (2013) displayed that CCT is a high efficacy treatment for OCD patients of individuals in Chinese cultures and Western Cultures, and produced high long-term remission rates in a shorter period of time. For this reason CCT paired with an SRI is the most effective method of treating patients with