Older adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), but the disorder has been understudied in this population (Calamari, Pontarelli, Armstrong, & Salstrom, 2012; Grenier, Préville, Boyer, & O'Connor, 2009). This article presents a course of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for an older White male veteran of WWII who had been a frequent utilizer of the emergency room for maladies that could be treated in the outpatient setting. The course of treatment for OCD comprised 14 sessions and was delivered in the veteran's home as a part of his care in the Veteran Affairs (VA) home-based primary care (HBPC) service. Adaptations were made to accommodate age-related cognitive deficits, treatment barriers related to mental health care access, stigma, safety concerns, and misperceptions regarding OCD and its treatment. Following ERP, significant reduction in self-reported distress related to OCD was observed. Recommendations for utilizing ERP within a HBPC context are offered.

Sleep disturbances are a prevalent and pernicious correlate of most emotional disorders. A growing body of literature has recently found evidence for an association between sleep disturbances and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Though informative, this link has yet to be explored in a veteran population. Further, the degree to which this relationship is accounted for by relevant third variables is limited. The current study investigated the relationship between self-reported insomnia and OCD symptoms after controlling for probable depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using an unselected sample of veterans (N = 57). Most of the sample reported clinically significant OCD (61%) and insomnia symptoms (58%). Results revealed associations between insomnia and OCD unacceptable thoughts/neutralizing compulsions, but not contamination obsessions/washing compulsions, responsibility for harm obsessions/checking compulsions, or symmetry obsessions/ordering compulsions. Findings highlight the need for more research on OCD and sleep problems and clinical work focused on sleep for patients reporting increased OCD symptoms, particularly veterans.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and substance-use disorders (SUDs) co-occur at high rates, which is related to poorer psychosocial outcomes. Prior work suggests that, among veterans in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), OCD is underdiagnosed and undertreated, which can compound negative effects of OCD and SUD co-occurrence. This study identified patterns of OCD and specific SUD co-occurrence and their effect on mental health and substance-use screening measures and mental healthcare utilization. Using VHA administrative data, we identified veterans with an OCD diagnosis from 2010 to 2016 (N = 38,157); 36.70% also had a SUD diagnosis. Specific SUD rates are alcohol-use disorder, 17.17%; cannabis-use disorder, 5.53%; opioid-use disorder, 3.60%; amphetamine-use disorder, 1.49%; cocaine-use disorder, 3.37%; and tobacco-use disorder, 26.50%. Veterans with co-occurring OCD and SUD used more mental health services throughout the data capture period. Findings suggest that OCD and SUD co-occur at high rates within the VHA, and that this is associated with more burden to the healthcare system. Targeted screening and treatment efforts may help address the needs of this population.

Perfectionism, a trait-like individual difference variable reflecting the tendency to set extremely high standards along with critical evaluations of one's own behavior, has long been regarded as a risk and maintenance factor for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, research exploring the relationship between these constructs is mixed. One explanation for these equivocal findings is the heterogeneous nature of OCD. Indeed, there is increasing evidence for distinct symptom dimensions that are more homogenous than the broad OCD phenotype. The current study examined the associations between self-reported perfectionism and OCD symptom dimensions controlling for probable depression status. The sample included 67 rural veterans. Results revealed a unique association between perfectionism and the unacceptable thoughts dimension of OCD. These findings are consistent with a growing body of literature demonstrating that OCD symptom dimensions have unique underlying dysfunctional beliefs.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold standard treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); however, few studies have evaluated the use of ERP with veterans. This case study describes ERP and medication treatment of a veteran who experienced violent sexual thoughts, countered by compulsions of focusing on the distressing thought to ensure a negative emotion or reversing the thought to a nonviolent thought or image. The veteran had previously received supportive psychotherapy and medication for depression, anxiety, and sleep difficulties, with poor treatment adherence. Upon reengagement in treatment, the therapist provided ERP in 34 sessions over 14 months, with 15 sessions via video telehealth to home. The patient used the OCD Workbook as a resource throughout treatment. The patient developed a hierarchy of target obsessions and rituals with associated subjective units of distress; completed exposures, beginning with lower-level items; and wrote imaginal scripts. He also received zolpidem for insomnia and venlafaxine for anxiety and depression. His scores on the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire and Yale Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale decreased significantly.

The prevalence and treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in veterans and active-duty military remains unclear. We systematically reviewed literature on OCD diagnosis and treatment in U.S. Veterans and active-duty military to obtain a prevalence estimate, describe treatment approaches for OCD in veterans, and evaluate use of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Eight terms were used to identify studies in PubMed, PsychINFO and SCOPUS up to March 13, 2018; additional articles were identified from reference lists of 19 included studies, 16 addressing prevalence, and 3 addressing treatment. OCD prevalence is lower in studies employing electronic medical records databases than in studies using OCD assessments, suggesting underrecognition of OCD in clinical settings. Higher prevalence was seen with OCD screening tools than with diagnostic interviews. Lower OCD prevalence was seen in active-duty individuals than in veterans. Two case studies showed a decrease in OCD symptoms following ERP. Additional studies with larger samples and controlled designs examining ERP are needed.

Dysfunctional cognitions such as irrational beliefs (IBs) of Ellis' rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) model and cognitive distortions (CDs) or cognitive errors from Beck's cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) model are known to correlate with depressive symptomatology. However, most studies focus on one cognitive theoretical model in predicting psychopathology. The current study examined the relationship between both IBs and CDs in predicting depression. A college-age sample of 507 participants completed the Attitudes and Beliefs Scale-2, the Cognitive Distortions Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Half of the sample showed minimal depression, while the remaining sample exhibited mild-moderate (37.4%) to severe (11.1%) depression symptomatology. Through regression analyses, the study aimed to examine whether IBs accounted for more of the variance in depression symptomatology after the effects of CDs were considered. Moreover, it tested whether CDs served as a moderator or mediator between IBs and depression. Each of Ellis' IBs (demandingness, awfulizing, self-downing, and low frustration tolerance) accounted for significantly more variance in depression after the variance of CDs was entered with the IB of self-downing explaining the most variance in depression severity. Moreover, while no moderation effect was found, CDs partially mediated the effect of IBs on depression. Both IBs and CDs contributed unique variance in predicting depression. Findings support the clinical notion that IBs and CDs are associated as well as highlight the clinical utility of both conceptualizations of dysfunctional cognitions in explaining depressive symptomatology. Clinicians might consider that each dysfunctional cognition might not be subject to change if not directly targeted. Rather than choosing to focus exclusively on IBs or CDs underlying negative automatic thoughts, psychotherapeutic efforts might benefit from identifying and challenging both types of dysfunctional cognitions.