Reassurance and its alternatives: Overview and cognitive behavioural conceptualisation

Paul M. Salkovskis

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Original languageEnglish
Article number100783
JournalJournal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders
Volume36
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information: Excessive Reassurance Seeking (ERS) is an under-researched and poorly understood behaviour that maps onto the compulsive behaviours that are typically seen in obsessional problems. ERS can be complex, persistent, extensive, debilitating and may dominate the interactions of those involved. In this paper we review how ERS has been defined in the literature and put forward a new definition for this construct based on a cognitive behavioural theory. We also highlight the important role ERS may play in maintaining different anxiety problems and explore new ways of managing this behaviour clinically by helping patients to shift from seeking reassurance to seeking support.

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