This article is based on the notion that obsessive-compulsive behaviors are perpetuated by negative reinforcement. The assessment of such contingencies inevitably leads to the examination of family's interactions, crucial for establishing the severity and prognosis of the disorder . The notion of family accommodation is analyzed as reinforcement contingencies that act upon family members and patients. Family members, often desperate and unaware of behavior practices provide inconsistent and intermittent consequences for the patient's behaviors. As a result, abnormal behaviors worsen, get chronic, and there's a general deterioration of the quality of life. It is suggested that, as a part of the routine, the clinician should evaluate systematically and carefully the family's interactions in order to plan and assess effectively his/her therapeutic interventions.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Family