Biomedical subjects

F Langlois

Publications and source records attributed to F Langlois.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Differences and similarities between obsessive intrusive thoughts and worry in a non-clinical population: study 1.

Worry is the central characteristic of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and obsessions are a central feature of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). There are strong similarities between these disorders: repetitive cognitive intrusions, negative emotions, difficulty dismissing the intrusion and finally, loss of mental control. Direct comparisons between obsessions and worries are almost non-existent in the literature but key distinctions have been proposed. The study attempted to specify the differences between obsessive intrusive thoughts and worry in a nonclinical population across a series of variables drawn from current models (appraisal, general descriptors and emotional reactions). 254 students participated in the study. They first identified an obsession-like intrusion and a worry and then evaluated them with the Cognitive Intrusion Questionnaire. Within-subject comparisons demonstrated significant differences on several variables: frequency, duration, percentage of verbal and image content, interference, egodystonic nature, stimuli awareness, emotions, etc. Most of these differences remained significant after controlling for frequency of thought. Discriminant analysis demonstrated a low classification error rate when using nine variables to categorize thoughts as obsessions or worries. Results generally support the differences postulated in the literature with the exception that obsessive intrusive thoughts are better controlled. The egodystonic/egosyntonic dimension emerged as an important variable in understanding obsessions and worry.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Differences and similarities between obsessive intrusive thoughts and worry in a non-clinical population: study 2.

Differences between obsessions and worry have been clearly demonstrated on several variables [Langlois, F., Freeston, M. H., & Ladouccur, R. (2000). Differences and similarities between obsessive intrusive thoughts and worry in a non-clinical population: study 1. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38, 157-173.]. Previous factor analysis of obsessions or worries have typically been used in developing measures for OCD and GAD symptoms. These studies generally support the distinctiveness of obsessions and worries but there have been no direct comparisons of the factor structure of obsession and worry on the same measure. This study aimed to compare the general structure of worry and obsessional intrusions. It also attempted to identify the relations between the respective factors identified in the appraisals of intrusions and the factor structures of coping strategies used in reaction to the thoughts. 254 students participated in the study. They first identified an obsession-like intrusion and a worry and then evaluated them with the Cognitive Intrusion Questionnaire. Different factor structures were obtained for worry and obsessive intrusive thoughts. However, the factor structure for the strategies used to counter the thoughts were highly similar for both types of thought. Furthermore, regression analysis identified interesting relationships between the strategies, the thought characteristics and appraisal. Thus, despite the ability to find differences between obsessive intrusive thoughts and worry, and even to accurately categorize them based on these differences, there may in fact exist common processes that are shared over much of a continuum. Sharp differences in the processes involved may only become clear in prototypical cases. The implications for models of cognitive intrusion are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1996

[Desensitization].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Desensitization, Immunologic↗

PubMed1995

Experimental manipulations of responsibility: an analogue test for models of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Several authors attribute excessive responsibility a predominant role in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) [Salkovskis, P. M. (1985) Behaviour Research and Therapy, 23, 571-583; Rachman, S. (1993) Behaviour Research and Therapy, 31, 149-154; van Oppen, P. & Arntz, A. (1994) Behaviour Research and Therapy, 32, 79-87]. The present studies aimed at demonstrating the link between different levels of perceived responsibility and checking behaviors by experimentally manipulating responsibility in non-clinical Ss. In the first study, a sound recognition task was used to compare checking behaviors in Ss with high (HR) and low (LR) perceived responsibility. Only one variable was significantly different, Ss from the HR group reporting more anxiety during the task than Ss from the LR group. Results did not support a link between responsibility and checking behavior. In a second study HR and LR Ss were compared on a manual classification task. Subjects from the HR group hesitated and checked more, and reported more preoccupation with errors and anxiety during the task than Ss from the LR group. Since perceived severity of the outcome was the most variable affected by the manipulation, the implications for current models of OCD are discussed and an alternative explanation is attempted. Finally, clinical implications are examined and suggestions are made for future directions of research.

Adult↗