Research Directory
Obsessive-Compulsive & Related Disorders
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Exposure & Response Prevention Psychotherapy Case Series
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an obsessive-compulsive related condition characterized by persistent, distressing preoccupations with perceived defects or flaws in physical appearance that are unnoticeable or appear slight to others. Patients typically engage in repetitive, exhausting compulsive behaviors such as mirror checking, skin picking, excessive grooming, or reassurance seeking. Although Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is established as a frontline gold-standard psychotherapy for BDD internationally, empirical trials evaluating ERP for BDD within Southeast Asian clinical settings have been remarkably scarce.
Clinical Case Series and Treatment Outcomes
This landmark Indonesian clinical case series systematically evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of tailored manualized ERP for adult patients diagnosed with BDD. Through structured in-vivo exposures (e.g., non-judgmental holistic mirror viewing) combined with stringent response prevention (e.g., eliminating magnifying mirrors, delaying grooming rituals, and refraining from social camouflage), participants achieved clinically meaningful reductions in BDD symptom severity on standardized psychometric indices, significant drops in depressive symptoms, and enhanced social functioning.
Citation: Adelheid, T., Ramadhani, A. P., Novrianto, R., & Jaya, E. S. (2025). Case series of body dysmorphic disorder treatment using exposure and response prevention psychotherapy. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 108, 104505.
Understanding Depression and Anxiety Symptom Interrelations in OCD: A Network Approach
Patients diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) overwhelmingly experience co-occurring symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety. Traditional psychiatric models have viewed these conditions as discrete comorbid diagnostic categories. However, modern network theory conceptualizes psychopathology as a dynamic complex system of mutually reinforcing symptoms, where specific "bridge symptoms" activate cascades across diagnostic boundaries.
Bridge Centrality and Clinical Implications
Utilizing Gaussian graphical models and bridge expected influence centrality indices in an Indonesian OCD clinical cohort, researchers identified specific symptom nodes linking OCD to affective psychopathology. Symptoms of cognitive uncontrollability, generalized worry, and persistent sadness acted as primary bridges connecting obsessive doubt to depressive withdrawal. Targeting these high-centrality bridge nodes in cognitive restructuring and ERP may disrupt feedback loops maintaining chronic distress.
Citation: Fajriana, Z. A., Novrianto, R., Dewantary, N. I., Tobing, P. D., Storch, E. A., & Jaya, E. S. (2025). Understanding depression and anxiety symptom interrelations in Indonesian OCD patients: A network approach. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 184, 359–366.
Psychometric Evaluation of the Indonesian Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale—Second Edition
The Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is universally regarded as the gold-standard clinician-rated instrument for assessing OCD severity and tracking treatment response. However, until recently, a psychometrically validated Indonesian version conforming to the modernized Second Edition (Y-BOCS-II)—which refined symptom checklist categories and severity rating dimensions—was unavailable for Indonesian psychiatric practice.
Validation and Diagnostic Reliability
In a large multicenter clinical evaluation across psychiatric clinics in Indonesia, the Indonesian Y-BOCS-II demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.89), robust inter-rater reliability, and strong convergent validity against self-report inventories. Confirmatory factor analysis verified the established two-factor structure (Obsessions Severity and Compulsions Severity), confirming that the Indonesian Y-BOCS-II is an indispensable, high-fidelity tool for clinical trials and routine outpatient assessment.
Citation: Novrianto, R., Ticoalu, C. L., Suyasa, P. T. Y., Hartanto, S., Goodman, W. K., Storch, E. A., & Jaya, E. S. (2025). Psychometric evaluation of the Indonesian Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale—Second Edition. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 46, 100965.
Psychometric Properties and Clinical Use of the Indonesian Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory
While clinician-administered instruments such as the Y-BOCS-II provide granular severity assessments, rapid and accessible self-report screening measures are urgently needed in low-resource outpatient settings. The Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (FOCI) was developed to quickly evaluate symptom presence across 20 common obsession/compulsion types and assess symptom severity across 5 critical dimensions (time occupied, distress, control, resistance, interference).
Properties and Clinical Utility of the Indonesian FOCI
Validation of the Indonesian FOCI demonstrated strong psychometric properties, featuring high test-retest reliability, excellent internal consistency, and strong criterion-related validity against clinical psychiatric diagnoses. The measure provides clinical psychologists and psychiatrists with an efficient, reliable screening instrument that accurately distinguishes OCD cases from non-clinical distress in diverse Indonesian healthcare environments.
Citation: Ticoalu, C. L., Mar'at, S., Suyasa, P. Y., Storch, E. A., Goodman, W. K., Hartanto, S., Novrianto, R., & Jaya, E. S. (2024). Psychometric Properties and Use of the Indonesian Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory. Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia, 28(2), 126–135.
