Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

Course excerpt from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCPDObsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder differs from OCD in that the symptoms are ego-syntonic. Typically the people surrounding the person with OCPD will be more negatively affected by the disorder than the individual with the disorder.

OCPD is a pattern of behavior or personality that emphasizes orderliness, perfectionism, mental and interpersonal control, and rule following. Individuals with OCPD preoccupy themselves with attention to details, lists, organization, and schedules and experience distress when life intervenes and causes deviation. There may also be rigidity with respect to morality ethics or values that they and others should strictly follow. They strive for perfection in their work and productivity, often to the exclusion of social and leisure activities. Their attention to details and desire for impeccable performance may delay actual completion of tasks. They may have difficulty prioritizing activities because of their need to have everything completed perfectly, and often forego vacations.

The characteristics of OCPD broadly affect the individual’s personality, cognition, affect, interpersonal functioning, and interpersonal control. Although these personality traits may cause distress and impairment, they are stable and not episodic.

OCD and OCPD have similar characteristics and may sometimes be comorbid. Technically, OCPD should be ruled out during an active OCD episode, and then diagnosed when the person is back to their functional baseline. In instances of comorbidity, treatment should focus first on the ego-dystonic symptoms of the OCD in order to better assess the OCPD symptoms.

Motivation for change in people with OCDP is low since they don’t experience distress from their symptoms. Longer term CBT or psychotherapy may be helpful when the person experiences enough negative consequences from their rigid interpersonal and functional style of living.

According to studies on comorbid OCD and OCPD, the range of prevalence falls between 23%–36%.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that reviews the diagnosis, assessment and treatment strategies for OCD. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by intrusive, unwanted, and anxiety-provoking thoughts, images, impulses and rituals that are performed to alleviate the accompanying distress. Because OCD is a heterogeneous disorder with several subtypes, assessing, diagnosing, and treating it can be challenging. Further, the presentation of varying symptoms may be considered to be OC Related Disorders. Being able to make differential diagnoses and treatment recommendations are essential in clinical work with the many patients that present with the spectrum of OC problems. Specific behavioral strategies have been developed and validated in the literature that target the various manifestations of OCD and related disorders. The first part of the course offers information on the neurobiology, diagnosis and assessment tools, including the various subtypes, and highlights important topics to be taken into consideration during the process. Emotional and cognitive factors are outlined that seem to play important roles in the diagnosis and the course of episodes. The next section is dedicated to describing the clinical factors of and differential aspects of the OC Related Disorders and their prevalence. A case study follows that outlines the precipitating events, assessment, and behavioral treatment of a college student who is struggling to maintain and overcome her OCD. The final section describes effective treatment and coping strategies and augmentations that help to maintain treatment gains. Course #30-95 | 2017 | 60 pages | 20 posttest questions

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. After enrolling, click on My Account and scroll down to My Active Courses. From here you’ll see links to download/print the course materials and take the CE test (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document). Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. Click here to learn more.

About the Author:

Leslie Shapiro, LICSW, has been a Behavior Therapist treating OCD and Related Disorders since 1989 at the OCD Institute since its inception in 1997. She is the author of Understanding OCD: Skills to Control the Conscience and Outsmart Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and has published several peer reviewed articles. She was awarded a McLean Hospital Career Development Grant, which supported her research on guilt aspects of OCD, and published Pathological guilt: A persistent yet overlooked treatment factor in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Ms. Shapiro has lectured extensively on the assessment and treatment of OCD, BDD and family issues, and continues her research on conscience-related factors in OCD. She is a former Peace Corps Volunteer and served in Mali as a health educator from 1982-1984.

CE Information:

Professional Development Resources is approved to offer continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635), Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635), and Occupational Therapy Practice (#34); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).