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Pointing and the interference effect in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Winand H Dittrich1, Thomas Johansen, Kayleigh Trotter
1Competence Center for Behavioral Economy, FOM Hochschule, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. winand.dittrich@fom.de
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology
|March 14, 2013
Summary
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients show a greater visual interference effect, indicating challenges with cognitive control. This suggests patients need more attentional resources to manage motor rigidity and distraction.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Compulsive behaviors in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involve motor stereotypy.
- Cognitive control aspects of compulsive behavior remain under-investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interference effect in OCD.
- To analyze cognitive aspects of motor stereotypy in OCD-related compulsions.
Main Methods:
- A computer-based pointing task was developed.
- Twelve participants (OCD patients and healthy controls) completed the task and standard clinical measures.
Main Results:
- OCD patients exhibited a larger visual interference effect than controls.
- Distractor stimuli increased pointing time and distance in OCD patients.
Conclusions:
- OCD patients require excessive attentional resources to overcome motor rigidity and visual distraction.
- Findings highlight the role of cognitive control deficits in OCD compulsions.
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