Effect of cognitive training focusing on organizational strategies in patients with obsessive‐compulsive disorder

Abstract

The purpose of the present paper was to develop a cognitive training program for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and evaluate its effectiveness. Nine 60-min sessions focusing on the improvement of organizational strategies were given to 15 patients with OCD over a period of 5 weeks. The control group consisted of 15 age-and sex-matched patients also with OCD. The Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test and Korean-California Verbal Learning Test were administered before and after cognitive training. Clinical symptoms were assessed with the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale. The memory function in the treatment group improved and their clinical symptoms were alleviated after training, compared to those of the control group. Cognitive training of OCD patients not only improved their memory function, but also alleviated their clinical symptoms. Therefore, cognitive training, focusing on the improvement of organizational strategies, could be an effective treatment modality for patients with OCD.

Are there reliable changes in memory and executive functions after cognitive behavioural therapy in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder?

“…To our knowledge, only two studies have investigated this hypothesis so far (Buhlmann et al, 2006;Park et al, 2006). These researchers find that cognitive training that focus explicitly on improving organisational strategies in patients with OCD not only improves their visuospatial memory (measured with the RCFT) but also alleviates their OCD symptoms (especially obsessions) and overall anxiety level.…”

“…Compared to previous findings Ten of the 14 studies located in our literature review (Vandborg et al, 2012) are difficult to compare to our study because: (a) Changes in cognitive functions were assessed after treatment with antipsychotic medication (de Geus, Denys, & Westenberg, 2007) or after cognitive training that focused explicitly on improving cognitive functions (Buhlmann et al, 2006;Park et al, 2006), (b) the sample size was very small (N = 10) (Bannon, Gonsalvez, Croft, & Boyce, 2006;Kang et al, 2003;Nakao et al, 2005), (b) a cognitive function (implicit procedural learning) was investigated (Kathmann, Rupertseder, Hauke, & Zaudig, 2005) that we did not investigate, (4) a HC group was not included (Bolton et al, 2000;Cavedini et al, 2004;Kang et al, 2003), or HCs were not assessed twice (Moritz et al 1999;Nakao et al, 2005).…”

Translating laboratory research into practice: foundations, functions and future of cognitive remediation therapy for anorexia nervosa

“…The two populations also have a similar cognitive profile [28]; similar to people with AN, people with OCD have difficulties with set-shifting [29,30] and have a bias for detailed as opposed to gistful information processing [31]. Park and colleagues found that training patients with OCD in a gestalt-based information processing style improved their memory skills and alleviated their clinical symptoms [32]. The authors suggest that symptoms improved because patients learned to approach cognitive tasks with a good organizational method and to solve them strategically.…”

Using neuropsychological feedback therapeutically in treatment for anorexia nervosa: two illustrative case reports

“…All participants receiving training improved in both organisation strategy and recall. Park, Shin, Ha, Shin, Kim and Lee (2006) trained people with OCD on block design and problem solving. The training group improved in recall accuracy in the RCFT as well as their clinical symptoms (Park et al, 2006).…”

“…Park, Shin, Ha, Shin, Kim and Lee (2006) trained people with OCD on block design and problem solving. The training group improved in recall accuracy in the RCFT as well as their clinical symptoms (Park et al, 2006). This suggests that interventions with a focus on basic information processing anomalies may have potential in AN and the OCD spectrum.…”