Sensory properties of obsessive thoughts in OCD and the relationship to psychopathology

Röhlinger, Jana; Wulf, Falk; Fieker, Martina; Moritz, Steffen

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2015.10.009

Cited by 17 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…A large majority of the sample (73.5%) reported obsessions with sensory properties (Table ); the prevalence rate was nearly identical to those of prior studies (Moritz, Claussen, et al, ; Röhlinger et al, ). As before, bodily and visual sensations were reported most frequently by participants, followed by tactile sensations.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 81%

“…A follow‐up study using the same measure found a moderate correlation between the sensory properties of intrusive thoughts (particularly for acoustic and olfactory sensations) and paranoid ideas in OCD (Röhlinger, Wulf, Fieker, & Moritz, ) partially confirming the aforementioned linkage between insight and sensory experiences. In contrast, a study examining sensory intrusions in depressed patients found only a weak association between the presence of sensory intrusions with psychotic symptoms (Moritz, Hörmann, et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…SPOQ (Moritz, Claussen, et al, ; Röhlinger et al, ). Perceptual properties of intrusive thoughts were measured with the SPOQ.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given this lacuna in the literature, the goal of the present study was to replicate and extend our previous findings in a treatment‐seeking clinical sample with OCD using an expert‐rated symptom scale. Specifically, we sought to (a) replicate the findings of the pilot studies (Moritz, Claussen, et al, ; Röhlinger et al, ) regarding the relationship between perceptual‐laden obsessive thoughts, compulsions, and insight; and (b) to explore whether the relationship is particularly strong for certain types of obsessions (e.g., fears about contamination and aggressive thoughts). We hypothesized that sensory properties of obsessive thoughts are predictive of compulsive behaviour, particularly when the feared consequences are catastrophic, and further that the more sensory the obsessive thought, the lower the insight.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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If it is absurd, then why do you do it? The richer the obsessional experience, the more compelling the compulsion

Moritz

Purdon

Jelinek

et al. 2017

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

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Mounting evidence suggests that obsessive intrusions are often accompanied and amplified by perceptual experiences of different modalities (e.g., feeling dirt on one's skin while experiencing intrusive thoughts about contamination). Pilot studies conducted online with individuals endorsing mild obsessive-compulsive symptoms have linked the co-occurrence of perceptual experiences and obsessions to the severity of subsequent compulsive behaviour as well as low insight. However, it is presently unclear whether sensory experiences accompany all types of obsessional thoughts or are restricted to certain preoccupations (e.g., contamination and aggression). The present study examined a clinical inpatient and outpatient sample with a formally diagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder (N = 34). Perceptual properties of intrusive thoughts were assessed with the Sensory Properties of Obsessions Questionnaire. The prevalence of perception-laden obsessive thoughts was comparable with prior studies (73.5%), but the intensity was significantly greater. No association was observed between perceptual experiences and expert-rated insight. However, the severity of perception-laden obsessions predicted the frequency of and impairment associated with compulsive behaviour. This was particularly strong for obsessions about contamination. The present study confirms the high prevalence and clinical relevance of perceptual experiences that accompany obsessions and further challenges the traditional trichotomy splitting mental phenomena into thoughts, intrusions, and hallucinations.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 81%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…SPOQ (Moritz, Claussen, et al, ; Röhlinger et al, ). Perceptual properties of intrusive thoughts were measured with the SPOQ.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

If it is absurd, then why do you do it? The richer the obsessional experience, the more compelling the compulsion

Moritz

Purdon

Jelinek

et al. 2017

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

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“…bei der Depression oder der Zwangsstörung, zu beobachten. Etwa 50% der depressiven Patienten [Moritz et al, 2014c] und sogar 75% der Zwangspatienten berichten von sensorischen Intrusionen Röhlinger et al, 2015]. Diese Patienten hören z.B.…”

Section: Anwendung Der Theorie Auf Halluzinationen Und Störungen Der unclassified

Liberale Akzeptanz als kognitiver Mechanismus bei Psychose: Eine 2-Stufen-Theorie der Pathogenese schizophrener Positivsymptome

et al. 2017

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Positivsymptome wie Wahn und Halluzinationen stellen definierende Symptome einer (schizophrenen) Psychose dar. In dieser Übersichtsarbeit wird ein 2-stufiges heuristisches Modell für die Entstehung und Aufrechterhaltung psychotischer Positivsymptome vorgelegt. Im Kern der Theorie steht die Hypothese, dass von Psychose betroffene Menschen eine erniedrigte Entscheidungsschwelle aufweisen, die zu einer frühzeitigen Annahme von Hypothesen führt (liberale Akzeptanz). Im Unterschied zu nichtpsychotischen Personen ist die Konfidenz in falsche Urteile bei Betroffenen, als Folge dieser liberalen Akzeptanz, erhöht. Postuliert werden 2 Stufen der Wahnentwicklung. Auf Stufe 1 (Wahnentstehung) ist die subjektive Wahrscheinlichkeit für akzeptierte Hypothesen bei Menschen mit Psychose zunächst vergleichsweise gering. Wahnhafte Ideen sind in diesem Stadium häufig nicht voll entfaltet bzw. fragil und können zwischen 2 sich gegenseitig ausschließenden Ansichten oszillieren («doppelte Buchführung»). Im Zuge der 2. Stufe (Überzeugung, Aufrechterhaltung) verfestigen sich die flüchtigen wahnhaften Ideen zu falschen Überzeugungen aufgrund eines 2-gliedrigen Konsolidierungsprozesses - indem einerseits Gegenbeweise ignoriert und andererseits Belege zugunsten der Leithypothese einen Verarbeitungsvorteil erhalten (Bestätigungstendenz). Alternative Hypothesen rücken in den Hintergrund. Aufrechterhaltend für eine Wahnidee sind vielfältige psychologische Faktoren und Motive, wie die Kongruenz des Wahns mit dem emotionalen Befinden, persönliche Bedeutsamkeit und die temporäre Steigerung des Selbstwertgefühls sowie das Spannen eines Erklärungsrahmens für ein breites Spektrum von Beschwerden zur Reduktion kognitiver Dissonanz. Aus unserer Sicht können viele Formen von Halluzinationen und Erstrangsymptomen (z.B. Gedankeneingebung) ebenfalls durch liberale Akzeptanz erklärt werden. Diese Symptome basieren unseres Erachtens nicht zwingend auf fehlerhaften oder abnormalen Wahrnehmungen, sondern repräsentieren eine Fehlinterpretation von (teilweise) normalen sensorischen Phänomenen, die sich von einem (normalen) «Als-ob»-Gefühl bis hin zu einer wahnhaften Überzeugung steigern. Im Einklang mit dem erläuterten Modell werden Positivsymptome durch Interventionen wie das metakognitive Training (MKT) verringert, die Betroffene dazu anhalten, mehr Informationen zu sammeln und ihre Urteilssicherheit zu reduzieren (Säen von Zweifel). Die antipsychotische Wirkung von Antipsychotika/Neuroleptika wird im Rahmen der Theorie zum Teil durch ihre Eigenschaft erklärt, Zweifel zu induzieren. Die Bedeutung der Emotionsregulation bei der Reduktion von Positivsymptomen wird ebenfalls aufgezeigt, und zukünftige Forschungsrichtungen sowie offene Fragen diskutiert.

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Decreased memory confidence in obsessive–compulsive disorder for scenarios high and low on responsibility: is low still too high?

Moritz

Jaeger

2017

Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci

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Previous research suggests that patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), particularly checkers, display an inflated sense of responsibility. For the present study, we tested whether memory confidence in OCD is reduced under conditions of heightened responsibility and/or reflects poor memory vividness. A computerized task designed to modulate perceived responsibility was administered to 26 OCD patients (12 checkers) and 21 healthy controls. In the experimental condition (high responsibility), participants had to allocate daily medications to ten fictive patients in a hospital emergency ward, whereas in the control condition (low responsibility) participants had to allocate bath essences for ten hotel guests. Participants' response time and accuracy were recorded as well as their memory confidence, memory vividness, and subjective success. Irrespective of the condition, OCD patients performed as accurately as healthy controls, but appraised their performance as worse than that of controls. Memory confidence was decreased in patients, particularly checkers. No group differences emerged on vividness, and none of the effects were moderated by the condition (high versus low responsibility). The relationship between responsibility and OCD behavior is complex. Results suggest metamemory problems in OCD checkers, even when induced responsibility is low. The findings speak against "cold" memory deficits in OCD, as patients did not differ from controls on accuracy, reaction time, or vividness. Future research should focus on idiosyncratic beliefs and scenarios that inflate responsibility and elicit cognitive biases.

show abstract

Sensory properties of obsessive thoughts in OCD and the relationship to psychopathology

Cited by 17 publications

References 46 publications

If it is absurd, then why do you do it? The richer the obsessional experience, the more compelling the compulsion

If it is absurd, then why do you do it? The richer the obsessional experience, the more compelling the compulsion

Liberale Akzeptanz als kognitiver Mechanismus bei Psychose: Eine 2-Stufen-Theorie der Pathogenese schizophrener Positivsymptome

Decreased memory confidence in obsessive–compulsive disorder for scenarios high and low on responsibility: is low still too high?

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