Research

A new study from Case Western Reserve University in the US suggests that mothers tend to be more critical of children with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) than they are of other children in the family with such parental criticism possibly leading to poorer outcomes for the child after treatment.

Parent criticism has been associated with child anxiety in the past, however, researchers wanted to find out if this is a characteristic of the parent or something specific to the relationship between the anxious child and the parent.

Based on previous work conducted with colleagues at the University of British Columbia and the University of Reading, friend of OCD-UK, Adam Radomsky, a professor in the Department of Psychology and the Director of the Centre for Clinical Research in Health at Concordia University in Montreal is testing a novel approach to treatment for compulsive checking that could mean vast improvements in the quality of life of countless individuals affected by compulsive checking, and perhaps others forms of OCD too.

A new journal of OCD and related disorder articles as recently been published. The Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders (JOCRD) is an international journal that publishes high quality research and clinically-oriented articles dealing with all aspects of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related conditions (OC spectrum disorders; e.g., trichotillomania, hoarding, body dysmorphic disorder).

Editor-in-Chief, Jonathan S.Abramowitz wrote in his editorial, "An international and interdisciplinary journal exclusively focusing on OCD and related problems is needed for several reasons, not the least of which is that in the forthcoming DSM-5 (current expected release in 2013) there will be a new diagnostic category of disorders called the Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders."

Recent years have seen the issue of climate change dominate the political arena and now researchers in Australia have found that climate change can have an impact on the nature of obsessive thoughts, and compulsive behaviours in patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Fourteen of the 50 participants (28%) were identified as having OCD concerns directly related to climate change. The most frequent concerns involved electricity, water and gas wastage. Less frequent concerns included pets dying of thirst and one participant was concerned about house damage due to floors cracking, pipes leaking; roof problems and white ant activity. Compulsions included checking and rechecking pet water bowls, light switches, taps, stoves, skirting boards, pipes, roofs and wooden structures.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is published by the American Psychiatric Association and provides clinicians with official definitions of, and criteria for, diagnosing mental disorders.

The current edition of the DSM (DSM-IV) categorises Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder (OCD) under 'Anxiety Disorders'. However, some experts have controversially suggested that the upcoming revised edition of the DSM proposes removes OCD from this category and grouping it with putatively related conditions under the heading of 'related OCD conditions'. The proposed OCD-related conditions would include Obsessive–Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD), Tic disorders, Hypochondriasis, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Trichotillomania and other grooming disorders, Eating disorders, Pathological Gambling (PG) and other Impulse-control disorders, including alcohol and substance dependence and Kleptomania.

OCD-UK is committed to improving understanding and education around Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder not only amongst the general public, but also with health professionals.

To assist health professionals in their work, which will ultimately benefit children and adults affected by OCD we have put together a brand new resource, a calendar to assist health professionals in quickly and easily locating OCD and BDD training workshops, events and conferences here in the UK. We will continue to update this calendar accordingly with details of new training events for health professionals as they become available.

To open the calendar simply visit and bookmark http://www.ocduk.org/calendar.