BACKGROUND: Guilt appears to be a factor that may increase the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and negatively impact treatment outcomes. However, researchers and clinicians have paid little attention to addressing guilt in OCD treatment. Because guilt is an important perpetuating and mediating factor for OCD symptoms and the development of guilt-specific strategies may yield improved treatment outcomes, we hypothesized that a review of the relevant literature may provide important guidance for the field. METHODS: To identify existing scientific contributions across psychological, biologic, and theological disciplines, we conducted a systematic review of the literature on the topic of pathological guilt (PG) in OCD. RESULTS: Fourteen studies focusing on both PG and OCD were identified. The content of these papers consistently reflected the theme that guilt plays a significant role in OCD and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The potential influence and moderating effects of guilt require more focused attention in the clinical management of OCD. Development of routine standardized measures and treatment protocols targeting the role of guilt in OCD, in addition to consultation with clergy or other appropriate community resources, would provide valuable contributions to the literature. Addressing this affective component related to OCD may lead to improved treatment outcomes and fewer relapses for this debilitating and frequently chronic illness.
BACKGROUND: Guilt appears to be a factor that may increase the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and negatively impact treatment outcomes. However, researchers and clinicians have paid little attention to addressing guilt in OCD treatment. Because guilt is an important perpetuating and mediating factor for OCD symptoms and the development of guilt-specific strategies may yield improved treatment outcomes, we hypothesized that a review of the relevant literature may provide important guidance for the field. METHODS: To identify existing scientific contributions across psychological, biologic, and theological disciplines, we conducted a systematic review of the literature on the topic of pathological guilt (PG) in OCD. RESULTS: Fourteen studies focusing on both PG and OCD were identified. The content of these papers consistently reflected the theme that guilt plays a significant role in OCD and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The potential influence and moderating effects of guilt require more focused attention in the clinical management of OCD. Development of routine standardized measures and treatment protocols targeting the role of guilt in OCD, in addition to consultation with clergy or other appropriate community resources, would provide valuable contributions to the literature. Addressing this affective component related to OCD may lead to improved treatment outcomes and fewer relapses for this debilitating and frequently chronic illness.
Authors: S Evelyn Stewart; Yu-Pei Hu; Aldrich Leung; Elaine Chan; Dianne M Hezel; Sarah Yao Lin; Laura Belschner; Casey Walsh; Daniel A Geller; David L Pauls Journal: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2016-12-27 Impact factor: 8.829
Authors: S Evelyn Stewart; Yu-Pei Hu; Dianne M Hezel; Rachel Proujansky; Abby Lamstein; Casey Walsh; Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph; Christina Gironda; Michael Jenike; Daniel A Geller; David L Pauls Journal: J Fam Psychol Date: 2011-06
Authors: Michael P Randazza; Dean McKay; Jafar Bakhshaie; Eric A Storch; Michael J Zvolensky Journal: J Obsessive Compuls Relat Disord Date: 2022-02-08 Impact factor: 1.677