Checking, Certainty, And Doubt

Checking, Certainty, And Doubt is an information sheet exploring a key maintenance mechanism in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

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Professional version

Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

Client version

Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

Editable version (PPT)

An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.

Overview

Psychologists have discovered interesting relationships between checking, certainty, and doubt. This information handout introduces clients to these findings and contains an exercise helpful for individuals struggling with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Why Use This Resource?

This information sheet serves various purposes:

Psychoeducation, explaining how and why repeated checking affects memory confidence.
Encourages client-therapist discussions related to key beliefs and behaviors in OCD.
Invites clients to test the effects of repeated checking.

Key Benefits

Insightful

Provides an understanding of how checking diminishes memory confidence.

Interactive

Includes a behavioral experiment to enable clients to experience the effects of checking firsthand.

Accessible

Clearly written and easy to understand.

Who is this for?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Checking behaviors often play a key role in maintaining OCD symptoms.

Integrating it into your practice

Educate

Use the handout to educate clients on the link between checking and memory confidence.

Assess

Identify specific checking behaviors with your clients.

Experiment

Conduct the suggested behavioral experiment to demonstrate the effects of checking.

Discuss

Evaluate the experiment outcomes with clients to reshape their understanding.

Apply

Encourage clients to apply new insights to address their checking habits.

Theoretical Background & Therapist Guidance

Checking, Certainty, And Doubt is an information sheet that describes a maintenance mechanism important to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It explains the concept of checking and summarizes recent research indicating that increased checking can lead to decreased trust in one's memories.

Additionally, the information sheet includes a suggestion for a behavioral experiment, allowing clients to explore how this mechanism operates in their own lives.

What's inside

An introduction to the resource.
Guidance for using the resource with clients.
Key references and recommendations for further reading.

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FAQs

Repeated checking does not impair memory accuracy but diminishes confidence in one's memory, leading to further compulsive checking.

The behavioral experiment involves clients recording their level of confidence before and after repetitive checking to understand its impact.

This resource can be utilized in individual therapy for OCD or for therapists' own learning.

How This Resource Improves Clinical Outcomes

By using this resource, clients benefit from:

Insight into the nature of checking in OCD.
Valuable experiential learning regarding checking and memory.
Encouragement to reduce reliance on checking behaviors.

Clinicians Who Use This Resource Also Use

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Formulation

References And Further Reading

Coles, M. E., Radomsky, A. S., & Horng, B. (2006). Exploring the boundaries of memory distrust from repeated checking: Increasing external validity and examining thresholds. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(7), 995-1006.
Radomsky, A. S., & Alcolado, G. M. (2010). Don'tt even think about checking: Mental checking causes memory distrust. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 41(4), 345-351.
Radomsky, A. S., Gilchrist, P . T., & Dussault, D. (2006). Repeated checking really does cause memory distrust. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(2), 305-316.
Radomsky, A. S., Rachman, S., & Hammond, D. (2001). Memory bias, confidence and responsibility in compulsive checking. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 813-822.
Toffolo, M. B., van den Hout, M. A., Radomsky, A. S., & Engelhard, I. M. (2016). Check, check, double check: Investigating memory deterioration within multiple sessions of repeated checking. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 53, 59-67.