Cognitive behavioural theory for fear of contamination in obsessive compulsive disorder

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K17292
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Clinical psychology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Ishikawa Ryotaro 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 特任助教 (80625608)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 強迫性障害 / 精神的汚染 / 認知行動療法 / 変身恐怖

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined the mechanism about fear of contamination and washing urge in obsessive-compulsive disorder which occur direct or indirect contact with a disgusted person. Questionnaire and experiments study indicated that, direct or indirect contact with a disgusted person causes strong feeling of dirtiness and fear of morphing that worries that the characteristics of the disgusted person may infect me. In addition, studies showed the feeling of dirtiness (mental pollution and transformation fear) that experienced by contact with disgusted person is exacerbated by cognitive factors such as thought-action fusion. Furthermore, it suggested that cognitive behavioral therapy that try to change to thought-action fusion would be effective for such obsessive compulsive disorder.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は，嫌悪する人物と直接／間接的に接触することに対して強い汚染感と洗浄衝動が生じる汚染恐怖のメカニズムを検討した。さらに、嫌悪する人物との接触によって生じる変身恐怖の重症度を測定する測定尺度を開発した。これによって、精神的汚染や変身恐怖に苦しむ当事者のアセスメントが比較的簡便に実施できるようなるだろう。さらに、精神的汚染や変身恐怖に対して、思考と現実の混同にアプローチする認知行動療法が有効であることを示し、これらの症状に苦しんでいる当事者とその家族、および治療者達に、心理学的研究に裏付けられた治療的示唆を示すことができた。