Obsessive-compulsive disorder research: Growing in scope, advances unclear

The Placement of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms Within a Five-Factor Model of Maladaptive Personality

Dimensional models of obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms, as seen in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), are instrumental in explaining the heterogeneity observed in this condition and for informing cutting-edge assessments. Prior structural work in this area finds that OC symptoms cross-load under both Negative Affectivity and Psychoticism traits within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) Alternative Model of Personality Disorder (AMPD). However, tests of OC symptoms in conjunction with assessments of the full AMPD structure and its 25 lower-level facets representing narrower symptom content are lacking. We applied joint exploratory factor analysis to an AMPD measure (Personality Inventory for DSM-5; PID-5) and OC symptom data from two separate samples (total N = 1,506) to locate OC symptoms within AMPD space. OC symptoms cross-loaded on Negative Affectivity, Psychoticism, and on the low end of Disinhibition. We also report exploratory analyses of OC symptom subscales with PID-5 variables. Results are discussed in the context OC symptoms' location in PID-5 space, implications for assessment, and placement of OCD within the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology.

Are anxiety disorders publications continuing on a trajectory of growth? A look at Boschen's (2008) predictions and beyond

The relative health of a field of research can be approximated by assessing peer-reviewed journal publication trends for articles pertinent to that field. The most recent comprehensive assessment of publication trends in the anxiety disorders indicated that the field was on a continuing trajectory of growth (Boschen, 2008). We conducted an updated search of Medline for publications on each of the anxiety disorders from 2006 to 2016. Results indicated that there was continuing growth in anxiety disorders research overall and, particularly, for posttraumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Publication trends observed in Medline were also reflected in the focus of papers published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders over the past 3 years; yet, a substantive number of papers in the journal also dealt with multiple anxiety disorders, anxiety-related constructs, transdiagnostic issues, and conditions with significant overlap with the anxiety disorders. Observed publication trends, shifts in the focus of research attention, and probable future research directions are discussed briefly.