Biomedical subjects

Michael Kyrios

Publications and source records attributed to Michael Kyrios.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Repetitive behaviour in children with high functioning autism and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and children with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) were compared on a range of repetitive behaviours. Parents reported similar levels of sameness behaviour and repetitive movements in the clinical groups, although children with OCD engaged in more repetitive behaviour focussed around routines and rituals. Children with OCD reported more compulsions and obsessions than children with ASD; both groups reported more compulsions and obsessions than a typically developing comparison group. Types of compulsions and obsessions tended to be less sophisticated in children with ASD than those with OCD. Sameness behaviour was more prevalent in younger children with OCD, but for children with ASD, age was not significantly related to sameness behaviour, repetitive movements, compulsions, or obsessions.

Autistic Disorder↗

PubMed2006

Autogenous and reactive obsessions: further evidence for a two-factor model of obsessions.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a highly disabling anxiety disorder, characterized by occurrence of intrusive and unwanted thoughts (obsessions), which lead to performance of repetitive compulsions and/or rituals in order to reduce distress. Recently, it has been proposed that obsessions may be divided into two categories, termed autogenous and reactive obsessions [Lee, H.-J., & Kwon, S.-M. (2003). Two different types of obsessions: autogenous obsessions and reactive obsessions. Behavior Research and Therapy, 41, 11-29]. In this study, we aimed to further validate this subtyping of obsessions, and to investigate the cognitive and emotional correlates of the subtypes. Evidence was found for the division, using a confirmatory factor analysis in an analogue sample (N=372). It was found that frequency of reactive obsessions related more strongly to distress caused by overt OC symptoms (e.g., washing, checking), whereas frequency of autogenous obsessions related to distress from impulses of harm. Compared to autogenous obsessions, frequency of reactive obsessions correlated more strongly with all OC-related beliefs. Few differences were found between autogenous and reactive obsessions with respect to depression, anxiety, and view about self (self-ambivalence, self-esteem). It is suggested that existing OC-belief measures are more relevant to reactive obsessions. Implications for theory and treatment are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Obsessive-compulsive behaviours in specific situations: the relative influence of appraisals of control, responsibility and threat.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by repeated and persistent attempts by the individual to control their thoughts and by taking action through rituals in order to prevent feared or personally distressing outcomes. While cognitive theories of OCD have generated supportive research findings and effective treatments, they have not considered broader control beliefs that may motivate aspects of OC-phenomenology. We have previously proposed that broader control beliefs, specifically desire for control and sense of control, may play a role in OC-symptoms (Moulding & Kyrios, 2006). In the present study, non-clinical participants (N=219) were presented with four hypothetical scenarios relevant to an OCD-checking concern, and using a manipulation paradigm, the relationship between control constructs and appraisals hypothesized to be relevant to OCD (threat, responsibility) was examined. Desire for control was moderately affected to responsibility and threat appraisals, while sense of control did not relate to these constructs. The relationship between aspects of OC-phenomenology and appraisals of control, responsibility and threat were also investigated. Higher desire for control predicted both affect and action, while a lower sense of control predicted higher distress and action, over-and-above appraisals of threat and responsibility. Control appraisals were particularly relevant to use of action, and to affect in the low responsibility situations. A possible interactive model of desire for control, threat and responsibility is discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Evaluating brain activity in obsessive-compulsive disorder: preliminary insights from a multivariate analysis.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been linked to a dysfunction of brain corticostriatal networks, although functional imaging studies of OCD rarely apply network-sensitive analysis methods. In this study, we compared a univariate and a multivariate analysis of PET data in OCD patients and healthy subjects; the latter approach was considered more suitable for characterizing functional networks of brain activity. Although both methods suggested there was abnormal corticostriatal activity in OCD patients, the nature, extent and magnitude of this activity was clearly enhanced by the multivariate approach. Implications for the analysis of such studies are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Sensitive domains of self-concept in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): further evidence for a multidimensional model of OCD.

Aspects of self-concept have been implicated in recent empirical and theoretical investigations of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This article extends previous theory and research by investigating the proposal that specific self-structures may be linked with OCD [e.g., Doron, G., & Kyrios, M. (2005). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: a review of possible specific internal representations within a broader cognitive theory. Clinical Psychology Review, 25, 415-432]. In particular, it was hypothesized that individuals who value the domains of morality, job and scholastic competence, and social acceptability, but who feel incompetent in these domains (i.e., "sensitive" domains of self), would hold a greater level of OC-related beliefs and display more OC-symptoms. The study was performed in 198 non-clinical participants, using a multidimensional measure of self-concept. As predicted, it was found that sensitivity in the four domains was related to higher levels of OC-related beliefs. Sensitivity in the domains of morality, job competence and social acceptability also related to higher levels of OC-symptoms. Further, these findings were generally maintained when controlling for global self-worth. Based on these results, it is argued that sensitivity of self-concept may be associated with OC cognitions and phenomena. Implications for theory and treatment are discussed.

Achievement↗

PubMed2006

Anxiety disorders and control related beliefs: the exemplar of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Beliefs about control have been postulated to be important to anxiety and mood disorders. In particular, the phenomenology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) suggests that it may be an exemplar of an anxiety disorder where control issues related to the self (behavior and thoughts) and world (the external environment) are particularly important. However, only beliefs concerning the need to control thoughts have been incorporated into contemporary theories of OCD. This article summarizes the theoretical and empirical research relevant to control-related beliefs in OCD. It is suggested that discrepancies between an individual's desired level of control and their perceived level of control could contribute to OCD symptoms, and exacerbate the tendency for individuals with OCD to engage in magical ideation and superstitious rituals. Overall, this review demonstrates how consideration of control cognitions could enhance our understanding of OCD and further improve its treatment.

Anxiety Disorders↗

PubMed2006

Body dysmorphic disorder.

BDD remains an understudied psychiatric disorder. Further research is required to establish its etiopathology and neurocognitive underpinnings. Its relationship to other psychiatric disorders requires clarification. Also needed is a much better understanding of the best treatments to adopt should conventional approaches (eg, SRIs, CBT) fail.

Anxiety Disorders↗

PubMed2005

A manual and automated MRI study of anterior cingulate and orbito-frontal cortices, and caudate nucleus in obsessive-compulsive disorder: comparison with healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia.

Functional imaging and neuropsychological data suggest that interconnected brain structures including the orbito-frontal cortex (OFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and caudate nucleus (CN) are involved in the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but structural imaging studies investigating these regions have yielded inconclusive results. This may be due to inconsistencies in the identification of anatomical boundaries and methodologies utilised (i.e. automated vs. manual tracing). This magnetic resonance imaging study used manual tracing to measure volumes of selected brain regions (OFC, ACC and CN) in OCD patients and compared them with samples of healthy (HC) and psychiatric (schizophrenia; SCZ) controls (n=18 in each group). Concurrently, automated voxel-based analysis was also used to detect subtle differences in cerebral grey and white matter. For the OCD vs. HC comparison, there were no significant volumetric differences detected using the manual or the automated method (although the latter revealed a deficit in the subcortical white matter of the right temporal region). A direct comparison of the two patient groups showed no significant differences using the manual method. However, a moderate effect size was detected for OFC grey matter (reduced in SCZ), which was supported by findings of reduced OFC volume in the automated analysis. Automated analyses also showed reduced volumes in the dorsal (white matter) and ventral ACC (grey and white matter), as well as the left posterior cingulate (grey and white matter) in SCZ. The findings suggest that in contrast to findings in SCZ, there are very few (if any) gross structural anomalies in OCD.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Do dysfunctional beliefs play a role in all types of obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Some but not all models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) emphasize the role of dysfunctional beliefs in the etiology and maintenance of this disorder. Clinical observations suggest that some OCD patients have prominent dysfunctional beliefs associated with their obsessions and compulsions, while other patients do not show this pattern. It is possible that dysfunctional beliefs play a role in only a subgroup of cases of OCD and, by extension, that different models might apply to different subtypes of the disorder. To examine this issue, patients with OCD (N = 244) completed measures of dysfunctional OC-related beliefs, along with measures of OC symptoms and demographics. These measures were also completed by three comparison groups; anxious (N = 103), student (N = 284), and community (N = 86) controls. Cluster analysis revealed two OCD clusters: low versus high scores on beliefs (OC-low, OC-high). Belief scores for OC-low were in the range of scores for the comparison groups, which were all significantly lower than those of OC-high. Thus, a cluster of OCD patients was identified who did not have elevated scores on measures of dysfunctional beliefs. OC-low and OC-high did not differ on some OC measures (contamination, checking, grooming), but OC-high had higher scores on measures of harming obsessions. These results are consistent with the view that dysfunctional beliefs may play a role in only some types of OCD.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Obsessive compulsive disorder: a review of possible specific internal representations within a broader cognitive theory.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the most incapacitating of anxiety disorders, and is rated as a leading cause of disability by the World Health Organization (1996). Current cognitive models of OCD have focused on beliefs and management strategies involved in the development, maintenance, and exacerbation of OCD. However, despite evidence of their association to psychopathology, few researchers have applied the idea of underlying cognitive-affective structures, such as perceptions about the self and world, as operating in individuals with obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors. This paper critically engages with current cognitive, developmental, and attachment research associated with views about the self and world. It is argued that consideration of such underlying cognitive-affective vulnerabilities may lead to a broader understanding of the development and maintenance of OCD. Consistent with previous theoretical work (e.g. ), we also argue that early experiences of parenting lead to the development of a dysfunctional self-structure and world-view relevant to OCD. Thus, this paper aims to extend the focus of current OCD research by exploring the possible role of a broader range of underlying vulnerability structures in the development and maintenance of OCD-related dysfunctional beliefs and symptoms.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

A model of supervision in mental health for general practitioners.

OBJECTIVE: If general practitioners (GPs) are to provide effective ongoing care to patients with mental health difficulties, it is argued that they need access to effective supervision. This paper aims to describe a specific framework for the provision of supervision to GPs involved in mental health-related work in a rural area. CONCLUSIONS: An innovative model of supervision is currently being trialled with GP practices in the Bendigo area of country Victoria. It is essential for a formal supervision framework to be available for GPs in mental health, so that effective outcomes in primary mental health care are maximized, facilitating better support for GPs and better outcomes for patients with mental health difficulties.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

A critical evaluation of obsessive-compulsive disorder subtypes: symptoms versus mechanisms.

Recently, experts have suggested that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a highly heterogeneous condition, is actually composed of distinct subtypes. Research to identify specific subtypes of OCD has focused primarily on symptom presentation. Subtype models have been proposed using factor analyses that yield dimensional systems of symptom categories, but not necessarily distinct subtypes. Other empirical work has considered the role of neuropsychological functioning and comorbidity as part of a comprehensive scheme for subtyping OCD. The identified dimensions from all of these studies have implications for the treatment of OCD. In this article, we review the research on subtypes of OCD, focusing on subtype schemes based upon overt symptom presentation and neuropsychological profiles. We also review research pertinent to alternative subtyping schemes, both conceptually and methodologically. The research is critically examined and implications for treatment are discussed. Recommendations for future investigations are offered.

Diagnosis, Differential↗