Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 2, 2026

Protocol for Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation with Symptom Provocation to Treat Obsessive-compulsive Disorder
Published on: November 25, 2025
Obsessive-compulsive symptomatology: a goal-directed response to anticipated traumatization?
1Department of Behavior Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. dtrumbul@wvu.edu
Abstract:
Through the use of case material, this article traces the evolution of one individual's potentially adaptive response to traumatic stressors into obsessive-compulsive illness. The following discussion offers a conceptualization of trauma-induced obsessive-compulsive symptomatology that presents the phenomena as a predictable pattern of traumatic antecedents, anticipatory arousal, and a subsequent goal-directed motivational state to prevent anticipated traumatization. However, this hypothesis depends upon an expansion of our diagnostic understanding of traumatization to include interpersonal threat and how it might be symbolized by the individual seeking relief.
Related Concept Videos
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Anxiety: Overview
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events, are a...
Personality Disorders: Dependent and Obsessive-Compulsive
Dependent Personality Disorder
Dependent personality disorder is characterized by an excessive reliance on others to manage various aspects of life. Individuals with this disorder often struggle with...
Operant Conditioning Intervention
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
Behavior Therapy
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
