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Objective: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a clinically heterogeneous condition with a variety of symptom dimensions. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of university students and the lay public to identify a lesser-known theme of obsessive-compulsive symptoms known as relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCD) and to examine factors that impact identification and stigma of this symptom subtype. Method: A total of 258 participants (M = 24.1 years, SD = 7.61) completed an online survey. A series of clinical vignettes depicted hypothetical characters with ROCD, varied by symptom presentation (partner-focused, relationship-centred) and gender (female, male), as well as a contamination OCD vignette for comparison purposes. Results: As expected, participants showed significantly higher misidentification rates for ROCD (88.3%) compared to the contamination vignettes (28.7%). ROCD was most often misidentified as relationship issues and worry. Although partner-focused ROCD was not misidentified more frequently than relationship-centred ROCD, partner-focused vignettes were significantly more stigmatised than relationship-centred vignettes as predicted (with the male, partner-focused vignette most stigmatised). Conclusions: High levels of misidentification of ROCD may contribute to the existing lag between OCD symptom onset and proper treatment, emphasising the need for greater education and media focus on the heterogeneity of OCD. KEY POINTS: What is already known about this topic: Relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCD) is a relatively newly identified OCD subtype, which involves intrusive and ego-dystonic doubts related to a range of interpersonal relationships. ROCD has two main presentations: relationship-centred (doubts about the relationship itself) and partner-focused (doubts about the partner's perceived flaws). Stigmatizing attitudes from the public and self-stigma have been identified as treatment barriers, exacerbating the pre-existing gap between the onset of OCD symptoms and receiving appropriate treatment. What this topic adds: The results of this study demonstrated that ROCD vignettes are more likely to be misidentified and stigmatized by participants than contamination vignettes, consistent with past literature on taboo thoughts in OCD. Partner-focused ROCD symptom presentations were significantly more stigmatized than relationship-centred ROCD presentations. ROCD was most-often misattributed to worry, relationship problems, a phobia, or no disorder, resulting in the potential for ROCD to be overlooked as a substantive psychiatric condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an item-method-directed forgetting task, Chinese words were presented individually, each followed by an instruction to remember or forget. Colored probe items were presented following each memory instruction requiring a speeded color-naming response. Half of the probe items were novel and unrelated to the preceding study item, whereas the remaining half of the probe items were a repetition of the preceding study item. Repeated probe items were either identical to the preceding study item (E1, E2), a phonetic reproduction of the preceding study item (E3), or perceptually matched to the preceding study item (E4). Color-naming interference was calculated by subtracting color-naming reaction times made in response to a string of meaningless symbols from that of the novel and repeated conditions. Across all experiments, participants recalled more to-be-remembered (TBR) than to-be-forgotten (TBF) study words. More importantly, Experiments 1 and 2 found that color-naming interference was reduced for repeated TBF words relative to repeated TBR words. Experiments 3 and 4 further found that this effect occurred at the perceptual rather than semantic level. These findings suggest that participants may bias processing resources away from the perceptual representation of to-be-forgotten information. (Contains 2 figures, 3 tables and 2 footnotes.)

The production effect refers to the finding that words read aloud are better remembered than those read silently. This pattern has most often been explained as arising from the incorporation of sensorimotor elements into the item representation at study, which could then be used to guide performance at later test. This theoretical framework views aloud items as being distinctive in relation to silent items, and thus the effect was thought to emerge only when production was manipulated within-subjects. This claim was later challenged, and a reliable (albeit smaller) between-subject production effect has since been shown in recognition memory. Across a series of meta-analyses, we extend this earlier work, replicating the between-subject production effect for recognition, and demonstrating no such effect for overall target recall. However, supporting recent theoretical claims, we further observed an interaction between the production effect and serial position within recall, such that a production effect was observed for late time points but not early time points (a similar, albeit smaller and noncredible trend was observed for recognition). Finally, we provide evidence that production reduces off-list intrusions. In summary, production has a reliable impact on recognition memory when manipulated between-subjects, but a more complex relationship with recall performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors investigated directed forgetting as a function of the stimulus type (picture, word) presented at study and test. In an item-method directed forgetting task, study items were presented 1 at a time, each followed with equal probability by an instruction to remember or forget. Participants exhibited greater yes--no recognition of remember than forget items for each of the 4 study--test conditions (picture--picture, picture--word, word--word, word--picture). However, this difference was significantly smaller when pictures were studied than when words were studied. This finding demonstrates that the magnitude of the directed forgetting effect can be reduced by high item memorability, such as when the picture superiority effect is operating. This suggests caution in using pictures at study when the goal of an experiment is to examine potential group differences in the magnitude of the directed forgetting effect. Keywords: item-method directed forgetting, intentional forgetting, picture superiority, pictures, words DOI: 10.1037/a0016569

Background: It is increasingly recognized that existing diagnostic approaches do not capture the underlying heterogeneity and complexity of psychiatric disorders such as depression. This study uses a data-driven approach to define fluid depressive states and explore how patients transition between these states in response to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Methods: Item-level Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) data were collected from 9891 patients with a diagnosis of depression, at each CBT treatment session. Latent Markov modelling was used on these data to define depressive states and explore transition probabilities between states. Clinical outcomes and patient demographics were compared between patients starting at different depressive states. Results: A model with seven depressive states emerged as the best compromise between optimal fit and interpretability. States loading preferentially on cognitive/affective v. somatic symptoms of depression were identified. Analysis of transition probabilities revealed that patients in cognitive/affective states do not typically transition towards somatic states and vice-versa. Post-hoc analyses also showed that patients who start in a somatic depressive state are less likely to engage with or improve with therapy. These patients are also more likely to be female, suffer from a comorbid long-term physical condition and be taking psychotropic medication. Conclusions: This study presents a novel approach for depression sub-typing, defining fluid depressive states and exploring transitions between states in response to CBT. Understanding how different symptom profiles respond to therapy will inform the development and delivery of stratified treatment protocols, improving clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of psychological therapies for patients with depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]