TREATING ADOLESCENT OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER - APPLICATIONS OF THE COGNITIVE THEORY

The recent cognitive theory of obsessions suggests that catastrophic m isinterpretations of the significance of one's unwanted intrusive thou ghts gives rise to, and maintains, obsessions (Rachman, Behaviour Rese arch and Therapy, 1997). It follows from this that provision of benign interpretations of the significance of intrusions is likely to challe nge and weaken the catastrophic appraisals. This article describes the application of this theory to two adolescents with obsessive-compulsi ve disorder (OCD). The adolescents were provided with an alternative, benign interpretation of the significance of intrusive thoughts and im ages using a thought suppression paradigm. It is concluded that a pers onal demonstration using the thought suppression paradigm is a helpful clinical tool for the cognitive treatment of obsessions in adolescent OCD. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.