We have developed a new treatment method termed ‘association splitting’ that is designed to reduce the intensity and frequency of obsessive thoughts. The method is aimed at people who suffer from obsessive thoughts (e.g., excessive concern about contaminating others; uncertainty about having run over a pedestrian; fear of causing a catastrophe by failing to place things in a particular order or not saying a certain prayer). Click on the appropriate language below for further information (e.g., manual, theoretical background, administration of the training).

Publications

Hottenrott, B., Jelinek, L., Kellner, M. & Moritz, S. (2011). “Assoziationsspaltung” als Zusatzintervention für Patienten mit Zwangsstörung: Eine Fallbeschreibung [Association Splitting as an Add-On Intervention for Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Case Report], Verhaltenstherapie, 21, 109-115.

Jelinek, L., Hauschildt, M., Hottenrott, B., Kellner, M. & Moritz, S. (2014). Further evidence for biased semantic networks in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): When knives are no longer associated with buttering bread but only with stabbing people. Journal of Behavior Therapy & Experimental Psychiatry, 45, 427-434. [Download]

Jelinek, L., Hottenrott, B. & Moritz, S. (2009). Assoziationsspaltung – Eine neue Intervention zur Behandlung von Zwangsgedanken [Association splitting – A new treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder]. Notfall &  Hausarztmedizin, 35, 24–28.

Jelinek, L., Hottenrott, B. & Moritz, S. (2009). When cancer is associated with illness but no longer with animal or zodiac sign: Investigation of biased semantic networks in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23, 1031-1036.

Moritz, S. & Jelinek, L. (2007). Association splitting – Self-help guide for reducing obsessive thoughts (J. Volkert, Trans.). VanHam Campus Verlag: Hamburg.

Moritz, S. & Jelinek, L. (2011). Association splitting as a self-help technique for reducing obsessive thoughts. Depression & Anxiety, 28, 574–581.

Moritz, S., Jelinek, L., Klinge, R. & Naber, D. (2007). Fight fire with fireflies! Association splitting: A novel cognitive technique to reduce obsessive thoughts. Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapy, 35, 631-635. [Download]

Musiat, P., Moritz, S, Jacobi, C. & Schmidt, U. (2014). Association splitting: Feasibility study of a novel technique to reduce weight and shape concerns. Eating & Weight Disorders, 19, 153-158.

Rodríguez-Martín, B. C., Moritz, S., Molerio-Pérez, O. & Gil-Pérez, P. (2013). Effectiveness of association splitting in reducing unwanted intrusive thoughts in a nonclinical sample. Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapy, 4, 433-440.