OCD or not OCD? A Critical Evaluation of the Obsessive Compulsive Related Disorders

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) includes a new category for Obsessive Compulsive Related Disorders (OCRDs). This category is based on the premise that the conditions in this class share a dysfunction in behavioral inhibition, and that treatment using similar methods have comparable efficacy. The available literature is examined to determine the degree that the conditions in this category are comparable for formal assessments of behavioral inhibition or for outcome on comparable interventions. The available evidence suggests that the conditions within the OCRD are more dissimilar on behavior inhibition and the efficacious outcome comes from a wider range of interventions that simply those applied for OCD per se. Suggestions for future approaches to conceptualization are offered.