Chapter 6 - Identifying Mechanisms of Action across Treatments for Eating Disorders and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Summary

Psychological treatments for eating disorders (EDs) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have been shown to be effective in many studies. The specific mechanisms of change in treatments for EDs are not entirely clear, but it is suggested that psychoeducation, collaboration, exposure-based interventions, cognitive therapy, interpersonal effectiveness, and value-based interventions may be active treatment ingredients. Psychoeducation and collaboration between patient and therapist are essential to provide information about the disorder and its causes, challenge negative appraisals and self-criticism, and foster a collaborative environment. Exposure and behavioral experiments are often used in the treatment of both disorders. The goals of exposure include reducing anxiety by repeated contact with a feared stimulus and eliminating avoidance, safety, or escape behaviors, as well as increasing distress tolerance and extinction learning. Cognitive therapy, interpersonal effectiveness, and value-based interventions in ED treatment aim to increase self-efficacy and self-esteem through decreasing interpersonal problems and shifting values that are based on appearance.