Behavioural And Cognitive‐Behavioural Therapy: Exploring Psychological Perspectives For Understanding And Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Part – 1

Discuss about the Behavioural and Cognitive‐Behavioural Therapy.

Part – 1

Part – 2

Part – 3

Introduction

The presented analysis of the case study attempts to track and identify the attribution of the psychosocial perspectives in the assessment and effective treatment of various states of consciousness, emotional conditions and behavioural patterns experienced by the patients affected with obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD patients remain affected with intrusive thoughts that compel them to experience the fearful situations leading to the development of states of restlessness and obsession. The manifestations attributing to the disturbed sleep physiology and hyperactivity of brain regions result in the gradual deterioration of the psychosocial profile of the affected individuals.  Treatment interventions like cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) proves to be an effective tool in relieving the state of distress experienced by patients affected with OCD across the community environment.

The presented patient scenario describes the fear of 26 years old Diana in stepping on the pavement cracks. This particular behaviour of the patient warrants the configuration of the pattern of therapeutic communication by the healthcare professional in the context of efficiently evaluating the detrimental effects of the disfigured thought process of the patient on her quality of life across the community environment. Indeed, with the utilization of good communication pattern, the healthcare professional attains the privilege of administering tailor-made and culturally appropriate psychosocial interventions in accordance with the individualized requirements and mental care needs of the affected patient (NICE, 2006). The configuration of support groups in the context of motivating the patient for attaining the attribute of self-help proves effective in elevating the wellness outcomes and decreasing the burden of OCD manifestations from the society. The fear of the patient in terms of experiencing adverse events in the absence of execution of a ritual is another indication of the intrusive thoughts experienced by the patient during the course of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Ritual prevention intervention in this particular scenario proves to be advantageous in terms of reducing the state of fear and anxiety of the patient in the absence of the execution of the ritual convention (Foa, 2010). This psychological intervention restrains the patient in practicing the religious custom or ritual, in relation to which he/she experiences the fear of adverse events or disastrous circumstances. The absence of adverse events during the course of ritual prevention makes the patient realize the false implications of his/her intrusive thoughts in relation to the practice of rituals and this resultantly decreases the state of his anxiety, fear and depression of the patient across the community environment.

Psychological perspective

The patient scenario emphasizes the fear of the patient in terms of harming her own children at bedtime under the influence of disfigured thoughts.  Exposure and response prevention strategy (ERP) proves useful in decreasing the adverse psychosocial manifestations experienced by the patient in relation to the detrimental thought processes (Seibell & Hollander, 2014). Repeated (planned) exposure to the fearful circumstances decreases negative thoughts of the patient in terms of executing homicidal activities across the residential premises. The prevention of the patient’s strangling activity in the present clinical scenario will make her realise and experience the absence of homicidal activity and eventually her fearful attitude and anxiety in relation to the bedtime obsession will decrease considerably. The presented patient scenario describes the lack of confident memory of the OCD patient requiring the administration of psychosocial interventions for elevating the mental health of the affected patient. Evidence-based research literature emphasizes the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in terms of elevating the social functioning of the OCD patient across the community environment (Vandborg, et al., 2016). Improved social functioning might influence the level of confident memory; however, the organization of prospective research studies necessarily warranted for evaluating direct influence of CBT on the memory outcomes of the OCD patient.  The patient scenario displays the familial progression of OCD traits (i.e. the OCD characteristics experienced by Diana’s children in the similar manner that Diana experienced during her childhood). Evidence-based research literature emphasizes the requirement of family based CBT approach for the effective treatment of pediatric patients affected with the pattern of CBT across the community environment. The family based CBT advocates the administration of psychoeducation strategies for effectively reducing the anxiety-provoking cognitive state of pediatric patients affected with OCD manifestations (Marien, et al., 2013). The children and their parents acquire adaptive behaviours following the consistent exposure to CBT across the clinical setting. The healthcare professionals during the course of CBT encourage the pediatric patients in terms of their engagement in extra-curricular activities and modify their external environment in the context of reducing its impact of on their psychosocial behaviour. The parents of affected children require their participation in the educational sessions for elevating their knowledge regarding the manifestations of OCD and their implications on the pattern of mental health of the pediatric patients. The parents resultantly facilitate the execution of CBT while coordinating with the healthcare professionals and assisting in the management of OCD by providing regular feedback of the mental manifestations of their children to the treating physicians. Evidence-based research literature emphasizes the influence of cultural variations and gender differences on the psychosocial manifestations of pediatric patients affected with obsessive-compulsive disorder (Cardwell & Flanagan, 2003, p. 133). Bandura’s social cognitive theory advocates the promotion of self-observation skills among the individuals in the context of modifying the self-response pattern for improving the behavioural outcomes (Cardwell & Flanagan, 2003, p. 146). The incorporation of Bandura’s convention in CBT assists the OCD patients in elevating their self-efficacy pattern, overcoming their fears and improving their response to the administered treatment interventions by the healthcare professionals (Wilhelm, et al., 2015). This indicates the scope of modification in cognitive behavioural strategies in the context of reducing the establishment of emotional complications, detrimental thought processes and disfigured behavioural patterns experienced by the affected patients under the influence of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Key characteristics of the perspective used to explain the cause of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Conclusion

The manifestations of OCD pose several threats to the quality of life of affected patients and their effective mitigation necessarily required in the context of improving the state of wellness and mental health of the patient population. The findings in the evidence-based research literature advocate the requirement of the concomitant administration of pharmacotherapeutic and psychological approaches for the effective treatment of the manifestations of OCD across the community environment. Furthermore, the organization of awareness sessions for the common masses as well as healthcare professionals warranted in the context of administering preventive interventions for reducing the scope of progression of OCD manifestations among the predisposed patients. The determination of the etiology of OCD by the research community highly required in the context of modifying the treatment strategies for improving the state of mind and thought processes of the patients affected with obsessive-compulsive disorder.     

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