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Do Cognitive Models of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Apply to Children and Adolescents?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2008

Shirley Reynolds*
Affiliation:
University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
Jenny Reeves
Affiliation:
University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
*
Reprint requests to Shirley Reynolds, School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7QH, UK. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Cognitive models of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have been influential in understanding and treating the disorder in adults. Cognitive models may also be applicable to children and adolescents and would have important implications for treatment. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate research that examined the applicability of the cognitive model of OCD to children and adolescents. Inclusion criteria were set broadly but most studies identified included data regarding responsibility appraisals, thought-action fusion or meta-cognitive models of OCD in children or adolescents. Eleven studies were identified in a systematic literature search. Seven studies were with non clinical samples, and 10 studies were cross-sectional. Only one study did not support cognitive models of OCD in children and adolescents and this was with a clinical sample and was the only experimental study. Overall, the results strongly supported the applicability of cognitive models of OCD to children and young people. There were, however, clear gaps in the literature. Future research should include experimental studies, clinical groups, and should test which of the different models provide more explanatory power.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2008

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