Abstract

Object:
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of cognitive beliefs and metacognitions and OCD symptom dimensions in an OCD outpatient sample.
Method: One hundred and fifty three patients diagnosed with OCD included to the study. Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS), Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire (OBQ), Metacognitive Questionnaire-30 (MCQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were applied to the participants. Hierarchical regression analysis for each symptom dimension conducted to evaluate predictive values of obsessive beliefs and metacognitions after controlling for level of depression and anxiety.
Results: For DOCS-contamination dimension OBQ – perfectionism and intolerance of uncertainty (OBQ-PC) (p = 0.003) ; for DOCS-responsibility dimension BAI, OBQ – overestimation of threat and inflated responsibility (OBQ-TR), OBQ – importance of and need to control thoughts (OBQ-ICT), and MCQ – positive beliefs about worry (MCQ-POS) (p < 0,001); for DOCS-unacceptable thoughts dimensions BAI, OBQ – ICT, MCQ – beliefs concerning cognitive competence (MCQ-CC) and MCQ – beliefs about the need for control of thoughts (MCQ-NC) (p < 0.001) ; and for DOCS-symmetry dimension BAI, OBQ – PC, OBQ – ICT, MCQ – POS and MCQ – cognitive self-consciousness (MCQ-CSC) (p = < 0.001) subscale scores were predictor factors.
Conclusion: In this study, ‘perfectionism and intolerance of uncertainty’ was the only variable associated with the contamination dimension. ‘Importance of and need to control thoughts’ was associated with all OCD symptom dimensions except contamination. In addition to obsessive beliefs and generic metacognitions, further studies including OCD specific metacognitions will clarify our knowledge about OCD symptom dimensions

Key words: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; symptom dimension; obsessive beliefs; metacognition