title: Obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, and self-esteem: an exploratory study.
abstract: In a preliminary investigation of the link between self-esteem and obsessional problems, patients with OCD were compared with people suffering from other anxiety disorders and non-anxious controls. A questionnaire was devised which allowed the reliable coding of open ended responses focussed on issues surrounding self-worth; standardized measures of self-esteem and clinical symptomatology were also administered. Results indicated that both clinical groups differed significantly from non-clinical controls on generalized self-esteem assessments. There was some evidence of OCD specific effects; obsessionals were more likely than anxious controls to link their self-worth to other people and their relationships. They also regarded the possibility of causing harm as likely to result in other people making extreme negative and critical judgements of them; the other groups expected the responses of others towards them to be more lenient. The implications for future research and for treatment of OCD are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ehntholt
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Salkovskis
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Rimes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012649:Self Concept