Abstract: In-depth researches on the psychopathology of Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have been made in the cognitive-behavioral domain. Cognitive behavioral theory of OCD suggests that dysfunctional beliefs, coping strategies and neutralization are key factors in the escalation and persistence of OCD. The security motivation model consider OCD to stem from an inability to generate a signal that would terminate the security-related behaviors. Based on this model, a recent research indicates that OCD patients use more subjective stopping criteria when making a decision to stop a compulsion. Such criteria causes difficulty in the decision making, therefore the compulsion is prolonged. This paper integrates recent researches in the cognitive-behavioral domain, and claims that approach–avoidance conflict, which is salient in some OCD patients, might be another important factor giving rise to OCD.

Key words: obsessive-compulsive sorder, psychopathology, cognitive-behavioraltheory, approach- avoidance conflict