ERIC Number: EJ1001671
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-May
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1077-7229
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Treatment of Mental Contamination: A Case Series
Coughtrey, Anna E.; Shafran, Roz; Lee, Michelle; Rachman, Stanley
Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, v20 n2 p221-231 May 2013
The recommended treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) incorporating exposure and response prevention (ERP), which is effective for approximately 50% of patients. However, there has been little advance in treatment outcomes since the introduction of ERP in 1979. It has been suggested that some progress can be made in treating contamination obsessions and washing compulsions by addressing feelings of dirtiness and contamination that arise without physical contact with a tangible contaminant. To date, the treatment of these "mental contamination" fears in OCD has not been systematically explored. This paper reports on a case series of 12 participants with OCD who received 10 to 20 sessions of a CBT-based treatment for mental contamination. At the end of treatment, 7 participants no longer met the diagnostic criteria for OCD and mental contamination and these gains were maintained at 6-month follow-up. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Behavior Modification, Therapy, Anxiety Disorders, Counseling Techniques, Patients, Cognitive Restructuring, Prevention, Outcomes of Treatment, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Fear
Elsevier. 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32887-4800. Tel: 877-839-7126; Tel: 407-345-4020; Fax: 407-363-1354; e-mail: usjcs@elsevier.com; Web site: http://www.elsevier.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A