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The Characteristics of Obsessive‐Compulsive Experience
Author(s) -
Jakes Ian C.,
Hemsley David R.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.315
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1099-0879
pISSN - 1063-3995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-0879(199606)3:2<93::aid-cpp86>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - stern , obsessive compulsive , psychology , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , engineering , marine engineering
Background: It has traditionally been held that the symptoms of obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) must be experienced as senseless, and be resisted, by the patient. Stern and Cobb's (1978) investigation suggested that not all OCD symptoms exhibit these features, and also examined reassurance‐seeking among OCD patients. The present study examines these same aspects of OCD, and also investigates whether OCD symptoms are ‘multidimensional’ (Kendler et al ., 1983). Method: Fifty‐five OCD patients rated their symptoms in terms of 16 characteristics. Eleven of these characteristics were included in a study by Garety and Hemsley (1987), five were introduced specifically for the present study. Results: The findings of the present investigation broadly support those of Stern and Cobbs, and indicate OCD symptoms to be ‘multidimensional phenomena’. Contrasts between the characteristics of obsessive‐compulsive experience, on the one hand, and delusional experience (Garety and Hemsley, 1987), on the other, are noted. Conclusions: Like Stern and Cobb's investigation, the present study calls into question traditional accounts of the definition of OCD.