A recent study published in Heliyon has shed light on the potential benefits of using a mobile application to reduce symptoms of Relationship Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Unlike previous research that focused on individual interventions, this study explored the impact of both partners concurrently using a mobile app designed to target maladaptive beliefs associated with ROCD. The findings highlight the potential of technology-driven interventions to strengthen relationships and promote mental well-being.
Healthy romantic relationships have been shown to have numerous benefits, including better mental and physical health, increased subjective well-being, and higher self-esteem. However, individuals with pre-existing vulnerabilities, such as elevated obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms, may struggle to maintain healthy relationships.
Relationship Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (ROCD) is a specific presentation of OCD that can significantly impact couples’ well-being. It includes two main symptom presentations: relationship-centered and partner-focused obsessive-compulsive symptoms. These symptoms can lead to doubts, preoccupations, and insecurities related to the relationship or the partner, causing distress and potentially damaging the relationship.
ROCD symptoms have been reported in various countries and can manifest in different types of relationships, not just romantic ones. These symptoms often involve intrusive thoughts, images, or urges related to the suitability of the partner or the relationship, which are unwanted and distressing. Research has shown that ROCD symptoms can have detrimental effects on personal and relationship well-being, leading to anxiety, negative affect, lower self-esteem, relationship difficulties, and more.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) models suggest that maladaptive beliefs contribute to catastrophic interpretations of these intrusive experiences. In the case of ROCD, maladaptive beliefs related to OCD and relationship-specific concerns can lead to catastrophic appraisals of relationship-related intrusions, further escalating distress.
Previous studies have shown that CBT can effectively reduce OCD symptoms by challenging and changing maladaptive beliefs and behaviors. However, barriers such as treatment costs, stigma, and limited access to trained therapists have hindered its widespread use. This is where internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) and mobile-delivered CBT applications come into play, offering accessibility and convenience to users.
The GGtude platform is one such CBT-based mobile platform that offers modules targeting various psychological symptoms, including ROCD. Previous research has shown its effectiveness in reducing symptoms in non-clinical, subclinical, and clinical samples across different countries.
In this study, researchers focused on the ROCD module of the GGtude platform, specifically the “OCD.app – Anxiety, mood & sleep” module. The research was conducted by Milana Gorelik of Reichman University, Ohad Szepsenwol of the Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, and Guy Doron, the director of Reichman University’s ROCD research unit and a co-founder of GGtude Ltd, the company behind the app.
The study employed a randomized controlled trial design, involving 103 romantic couples. Participants were assigned randomly to either the experimental group, which used the GGRO module for 15 days, or the control group, which did not use the module.
The study measured several variables, including ROCD symptoms, depression symptoms, attachment insecurity, relationship satisfaction, and sexual satisfaction. The assessments were conducted at three time points: before app use, immediately after app use, and one month after the intervention.
Couples using the app did not experience an increase in ROCD symptoms during the study period, while the control group did. This suggests that the mobile app effectively prevented the escalation of ROCD symptoms in romantic relationships.
Similarly, while the control group experienced a decrease in relationship satisfaction during the study, the app users did not. This suggests that targeting maladaptive cognitions related to ROCD symptoms had a positive impact on relationship satisfaction.
The app users demonstrated significant reductions in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and ROCD cognitions. This indicates that the app’s intervention successfully challenged and changed maladaptive beliefs associated with ROCD symptoms.
Couples using the app showed lower levels of anxious attachment orientations at the one-month follow-up, indicating a lasting effect of the intervention on attachment security. However, the app did not have a significant impact on sexual functioning, possibly because it did not specifically target maladaptive beliefs related to sexual dysfunction.
While the study yielded promising results, it is essential to acknowledge its limitations. The sample consisted of non-clinical couples with relatively low baseline ROCD symptom levels. Future research should explore the effectiveness of such interventions in clinical populations. Additionally, incorporating an active control group using similar apps targeting beliefs unrelated to ROCD could provide more insights.
Despite these limitations, the study’s findings carry significant theoretical and practical implications. It highlights the potential of mobile app interventions in enhancing resilience and satisfaction within romantic relationships by addressing maladaptive beliefs associated with ROCD. These findings align with cognitive-behavioral models of psychopathology that emphasize the role of maladaptive beliefs in the development and maintenance of psychological symptoms.
The study, “Promoting couples’ resilience to relationship obsessive compulsive disorder (ROCD) symptoms using a CBT-based mobile application: A randomized controlled trial“, was authored by Milana Gorelik, Ohad Szepsenwol, and Guy Doron.
