Intrusive Thoughts in Clinical Disorders Theory, Research, and Treatment

Advancing our understanding of the cognitive underpinnings of psychopathology, this is the first volume to focus on the role of unwanted intrusive thoughts, images, and impulses in a variety of psychological disorders. Leading experts explore the nature and causes of cognitive intrusions, examining how they become so persistent--and distressing--for certain individuals. Compelling findings are presented on the contribution of these phenomena to the etiology and maintenance of such diverse problems as obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, and sexual offending. Highlighting important questions for future research, each chapter also discusses practical implications for assessment and treatment. Clearly organized and tightly edited, this book will inform the work of researchers, students, and clinicians alike.

David A. Clark, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of New Brunswick, Canada. He received his PhD from the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, England. Dr. Clark has published numerous articles on cognitive theory and therapy of depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders, and is the author of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for OCD and the coauthor (with Aaron T. Beck and Brad A. Alford) of Scientific Foundations of Cognitive Theory and Therapy of Depression. Drs. Clark and Beck recently developed the Clark-Beck Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory to assess self-reported severity of obsessive and compulsive symptoms. Dr. Clark has received a number of research grants to study the cognitive basis of emotional disorders, the most recent being a Canadian federal grant to investigate intentional control of unwanted intrusive thoughts. He is a Founding Fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and an Associate Editor of Cognitive Therapy and Research.