Phobic and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders: Theory

In the last decade, the literature of phobic and obsessive-compulsive disorders has increased enormously. In view of this explosive growth it becomes increasingly difficult for the practitioner to keep abreast of important developments that have led to significant changes in treat- ment procedures. The purpose of this volume is to present a critical account of the current status of theory, research, and practice in the field of phobic and obsessive-compulsive disorders. More specifically, this book attempts to bridge the gap between theory, laboratory investiga- tion, and application. For purposes of clarity the volume has been divided into several parts. Parts I and II provide, it is hoped, a reasonably comprehensive account of the theory and research relevant to the etiology, assessment, and treatment of these disorders. Part I deals with phobic disorders and Part II with obsessive-compulsive disorders. The third part of the text is devoted to the clinical management of these disorders. The opening chapter deals with phenomenology, classification, and prevalence of the various disorders. In addition, the status of analog research vis-a-vis clinical research is discussed. The chapters on etiology discuss the many variables inherent in a comprehensive theory of the development of phobic (Chapter 2) and obsessive-compulsive behavior (Chapter 6). An explicit effort has been made to extend the discussion beyond the boundaries oflearning theory. Attention is devoted to examining the contributions from other areas (e.g., biological, cognitive, psychoanalytical).