@article{ref1,
title="Further evidence for biased semantic networks in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): when knives are no longer associated with buttering bread but only with stabbing people",
journal="Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry",
year="2014",
author="Jelinek, Lena and Hauschildt, Marit and Hottenrott, Birgit and Kellner, Michael and Moritz, Steffen",
volume="45",
number="4",
pages="427-434",
abstract="BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Semantic network models suggest that individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) process words with multiple meanings (e.g., &quot;knife&quot;) more likely in an OC-related (i.e., &quot;weapon&quot;) than in a neutral way (i.e., &quot;cutlery&quot;). Initial evidence was found in an online study. The aim of the current study was to investigate semantic networks in a clinical OCD sample and particularly to identify whether changes in semantic networks following the add-on intervention association splitting (AS) exceeded changes expected through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) alone. <br><br>METHODS: An association task was presented to 36 healthy controls and 70 OCD patients over a period of eight weeks with OCD patients receiving CBT and an add-on intervention (randomized allocation to either AS or a computerized cognitive training). Participants were asked to generate up to five associations to standardized (OC-relevant, negative, neutral) and individual cue words. Associations were rated with regard to OC-relevance and valence. <br><br>RESULTS: Analyses revealed that OCD participants produced a) significantly more OC-relevant associations and b) more negative associations than controls for cue words. In the OCD sample, the OC-relevance and valence of associations changed after therapy for personal cue words. This effect was associated with AS at statistical trend level. LIMITATIONS: No clinical control group was recruited; no inter-rater reliability was assessed for the association task. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Further evidence for biased associative networks in OCD was found. Associations of individually chosen cue words proved to be modifiable by therapy.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0005-7916",
doi="10.1016/j.jbtep.2014.05.002",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2014.05.002"
}