The neuropsychology of adult obsessive–compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis

Perseveration causes automatization of checking behavior in obsessive-compulsive disorder

“…Although patients in all conditions rated their memory confidence and vividness significantly lower at the post-test, their pre-test ratings did not differ from controls. Furthermore, even though OCD has been associated with working memory impairments (e.g., Abramovitch, Abramowitz, & Mittelman, 2013) and general memory deficits (e.g., Joel et al 2005), the present study contradicts this and in line with earlier findings indicates that OCD patients do not show impaired memory accuracy on a checking task (Boschen & Vuksanovic, 2007;Radomsky et al, 2014). Our data do not support the notion that lower initial memory confidence in patients with OCD induces re-checking, but their lower overall memory confidence and vividness ratings after checking may strengthen their motive to continue persevering.…”

Exploring Professional Help Seeking in Practicing Muslim Women with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Washing Subtype in Australia

“…Obsessions are repetitive and persistent thoughts, urges or images that cause marked anxiety and distress and are experienced at some time during the disturbance as intrusive and unwanted (American Psychiatric Association 2013). Compulsions are repetitive, time consuming, overt actions (e.g., washing, ordering, checking) or covert behaviours (e.g., counting, repeating words silently) typically carried out in response to an obsession so as to decrease distress and anxiety (Abramovitch et al 2013). Contamination obsessions and washing compulsions are generally the most commonly reported OCD symptoms (Matsunaga et al 2008) and the findings from several studies conducted in non-Middle Eastern countries have revealed that OCD washing behaviours are related to contamination obsessions, that is, people wash because they feel contaminated by dirt and germs and washing is carried out to reduce the risk of catching a disease or illness (e.g., (Jones and Menzies 1998)).…”

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder across the Life Span

“…Domains with effect sizes above 0.5 were nonverbal memory, set shifting/ cognitive flexibility, and processing speed. Slightly smaller deficits were detected in response to inhibition and sustained attention (Abramovitch et al, 2013). The small effects suggest that moderators are likely, such as symptom expression on specific dimensions, which have been infrequently assessed in previous studies.…”