By Pierre el Khazen 22/12/05, Introduction: An Obsessional-Compulsive Disorder is a disabling disorder. Obsessions are viewed as a syndrome in their own right. Meyer (1966) reported a successful behavioural treatment for obsessions by creating Psychological Models to obsessions and suggesting effective behavioural treatments. Models of compulsive behaviour suggested that ritualistic behaviours are a learned avoidance. Meyer’s concern was the issue of avoidance in obsessional disorders by noting that it was crucial to prevent this avoidance behaviour instantly by making sure that such rituals did not happen within or between treatment sessions. His approach was cognitive saying that we need to invalid expectations of harm deriving from obsessions and the need to be exposed gradually to the obsessional situations but this is secondary as the most important was preventing ritualizing.

On the other hand, Rachman, Hodgson, Marks (1971) presented treatment based on exposure to feared situations as a main treatment.

In the end, the two approaches were used together to create very good behavioural treatment of exposure and response prevention. In 1988, Salkovskis added that obsessional thoughts are exaggerations of normal cognitive functioning. Pls to view the whole article click "READ MORE"