title: Patterns of reassurance seeking and reassurance-related behaviours in OCD and anxiety disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reassurance seeking is particularly prominent in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and may be important in OCD maintenance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study used a new self-report questionnaire to measure the range of manifestations of reassurance-seeking behaviours, describing their sources from which they seek, frequency, process (how they seek), and consequences (as opposed to triggers and motivations). This study also attempts to identify the degree to which reassurance is specific to OCD as opposed to panic disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reassurance Seeking Questionnaire (ReSQ) was administered to 153 individuals with OCD, 50 individuals with panic disorder with/without agoraphobia, and 52 healthy controls. The reliability and validity of the measure was evaluated and found to be satisfactory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reassurance seeking was found to be more frequent in both anxiety disorders relative to healthy controls. Individuals diagnosed with OCD were found to seek reassurance more intensely and carefully, and were more likely to employ "self-reassurance" than the other two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further investigation of reassurance will enable better understanding of its role in the maintenance of anxiety disorders in general and OCD in particular.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Forensicd Mental Health, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. chelsea@faculty.chiba-u.jp
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kobori
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Salkovskis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires