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Phenomenology of Obsessive-Compulsive Neurosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

R. S. Stern  and
J. P. Cobb
R. S. Stern
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF
J. P. Cobb
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF
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Summary

Forty-five patients with obsessive-compulsive neurosis were given a specially devised structured interview with the aim of elucidating aspects of the phenomenology. Four main kinds of ritual were found to predominate: cleaning, avoiding, repeating and checking. A surprisingly large number of patients had little or no resistance to carrying out their rituals. The recognition of senselessness of a ritual was a more important criterion than that of resistance, but patients with predominantly repeating rituals did demonstrate resistance. It is proposed that a redefinition of obsessive-compulsive neurosis with less emphasis on resistance as a necessary condition may be appropriate.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 132 , Issue 3 , March 1978 , pp. 233 - 239
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1978 

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