Understanding Post-Traumatic Mental Contamination vs Contamination Themed Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

This training offers a clinically grounded exploration of how mental contamination manifests across trauma and OCD presentations, with a focus on differential diagnosis and evidence-based treatment. Participants will examine the role of disgust, moral injury, and trauma-related cognitions in shaping internal experiences of “dirtiness,” and how these processes differ from contamination fears driven by OCD. Through case examples and current research, the training highlights the functional relationship between PTSD symptoms and mental contamination, as well as the behavioral patterns that maintain both conditions. Attendees will also gain practical insight into treatment approaches, including Prolonged Exposure (PE) for trauma and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD, with emphasis on clinical decision-making and tailored intervention strategies.

Program Agenda

12-12:10PM Introduction/Overview of the Program Learning Objectives (Lecture)

12:10-12:20 PM Mental Contamination & Disgust

Defining Mental Contamination

Defining Disgust

Comparing Disgust Sensitivity & Disgust Propensity

12:20-12:50 PM Overview of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD Diagnostic Criteria

Mental Contamination in PTSD

Case Example

Prolonged Exposure for PTSD

Examples

Avoidance

12:50-1:30 PM Overview of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD Diagnostic Criteria

Contamination Theme OCD

Case Example

Law of Contagion

Inhibitory Learning

Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD

Examples

1:30-1:45 PM Diagnosis and Treatment

Differential Diagnosis

Treatment Considerations

Role of Avoidance in Treatment

1:45-2:00pm Q&A