Current OCD Research Projects

About Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a highly disabling and distressing disorder, which has made it one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, OCD afflicts 2.2 million American adults. OCD is equally common among men and women, causing significant and pervasive impairment in multiple domains, including home life, work, and relationships. OCD-related costs have previously been estimated at $8 billion dollars annually in the US.

People with OCD experience multiple barriers to treatment, including difficulty locating affordable help, cultural stigma, and lack of knowledge about treatment options. Minorities with OCD are absent from speciality treatment centers and research studies. The CMHD is dedicated to conducting research to address these problems and the resulting mental health disparity.

Sexual Obsessions in OCD

Dr. Williams has conducted several on distress in people with sexual obsessions in OCD. With the help of colleagues across the world, this data has been analysed and is been used to develop a self-report measure to help clinicians distinguish between OCD symptoms and people with other types of sexual orientation concerns. Data collection for this project is completed and analyses are underway. Dr. Williams has reently completed a new treatment manual for clinicians working with those who have sexual obessions as part of their OCD presentation.

Books

Williams, M. T. & Wetterneck, C. T. (2019). Sexual Obsessions in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Step-by-Step, Definitive Guide to Understanding, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780190624798

Related Publications

Williams, M. T., Ching, T. H. W., Tellawi, G., Siev, J., Dowell, J., Schlaudt, V., Slimowicz, J., & Wetterneck, C. T. (2018). Assessing sexual orientation symptoms in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Development and validation of the Sexual Orientation Obsessions and Reactions Test (SORT). Behavior Therapy, 49 (5), 715-729 doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2017.12.005

Ching, T. H. W., & Williams, M. T. (2018). Association splitting of the sexual orientation-OCD-relevant semantic network. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 47(3), 229-245. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2017.1343380

Williams, M. T., & Ching, T. H. W. (2016). Transgender anxiety, cultural issues, and cannabis in obsessive-compulsive disorder. AACE Clinical Case Reports, 2(3), e276-e277. doi: 10.4158/ep161356.co

The International OCD Foundation

The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) is an international non-profit organization made up of people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related disorders, as well as their families, friends, professionals and others. The mission and goals of the IOCDF are to: Educate the public and professionals about OCD to raise awareness and improve the quality of treatment provided; Support research into the cause of, and effective treatments for, OCD and related disorders; Improve access to resources for those with OCD and their families; Advocate and lobby for the OCD community.

Several members of the CMHD regularly attend and present at the IOCDF annual conference each year in July.