Anxiety sensitivity and obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions: Further evidence of specific relationships in a clinical sample. (15th April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Poli, Andrea; Melli, Gabriele; Ghisi, Marta; Bottesi, Gioia; Sica, Claudio
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 109(2017)
• Page Start: 130
• Page End: 136
• Publication Date: 2017-04-15
• Subjects: Obsessive-compulsive disorder -- Anxiety sensitivity -- OCD symptom dimensions; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.01.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Abstract: The relationship between anxiety sensitivity (AS) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been widely recognized. The specific relationships between AS dimensions and OCD symptom dimensions are less often investigated and the existing studies have shown several limitations and have reported inconsistent results. The present study analyzed the role of AS dimensions in OCD, focusing on different types of OCD symptoms. Dimensional self-report measures of AS and OCD were administered to a clinical sample (86 OCD patients), together with measures of depression, anxiety, and obsessive beliefs. At a bivariate level, the symmetry dimension of OCD was strongly correlated with the social dimension of AS and moderately with the physical and cognitive dimensions. The other OCD and AS dimensions were weakly correlated or uncorrelated. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the symmetry dimension was mainly predicted by the social AS dimension and, to a lesser extent, by obsessive beliefs, while the responsibility for harm and mistakes dimension was predicted by obsessive beliefs, but not by the AS dimensions. Unexpectedly, the unacceptable thoughts and contamination OCD symptom dimensions were not predicted by any of the considered variables. Theoretical and clinical implications for the results pertaining to symmetry-related OCD symptoms are discussed. Highlights: We investigated the role of anxiety sensitivity (AS) in OCD using a clinical sample. Symmetry OCD dimension was mainly predicted by social dimension of AS. Responsibility for harm and mistakes dimension was predicted by obsessive beliefs. Unacceptable thoughts and Contamination dimensions were not predicted by AS. Treatment of Symmetry dimension should target feared social consequences of anxiety.