Cognitive Reactivity in Obsessional Rumination: A Naturalistic and Longitudinal Investigation

Abstract

To date, evidence for cognitive reactivity in OCD has been provided through laboratory-based investigations assessing the impact of mood-states on obsessional appraisals and behaviours in experimenter controlled scenarios. In order to better grasp the dynamics of cognitive reactivity in OCD, the current study provides an extensive and intensive analysis of the longitudinal and naturalistic covariation between transient mood-states and appraisals across 8 individuals with obsessional rumination. Drawing on current models of cognitive reactivity, the use of different processing styles was hypothesised to differentially affect cognitive reactivity. Participants completed diaries recording mood-states and appraisals over the course of a cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for OCD. Based on the sequential analysis of conditional probability, contingency magnitude estimations of covariations revealed the presence of cognitive reactivity in 7 out of 8 participants. Further, covariation between mood and cognition showed close relationships to the participants' neutralization profiles associated with the Systematic, Superficial and Altered processing styles.