title: The relationships between obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions and cognitions in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
abstract: Several studies have linked obsessive-compulsive symptoms to specific obsessive-compulsive cognitions, however methodologies have varied, and no study has determined obsessive-compulsive symptoms using the most widely used clinician rating scale, the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Considering that almost all studies that used factor analysis to ascertain OCD symptom dimensions were based on the Y-BOCS and that self-report instruments assessing obsessive-compulsive symptoms correlate poorly with the Y-BOCS, there is a need to use the Y-BOCS to examine the relationship between obsessive-compulsive cognitions and obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions. This study examined the relationship between five Y-BOCS-derived obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions and the three obsessive-compulsive cognitive domains identified by the obsessive-beliefs questionnaire (OBQ). The symmetry/ordering symptom dimension was associated with increased perfectionism/intolerance of uncertainty, the unacceptable/taboo thoughts symptom dimension was associated with increased importance/control of thoughts and the doubt/checking symptom dimension was associated with increased responsibility/threat estimation. There was no statistical evidence of an association between any OBQ belief sub-scale and the hoarding symptom dimension nor the contamination/cleaning symptom dimension. The findings encourage symptom-based approaches to cognitive-behavioural therapy for some OCD symptoms and call for further research on cognitions associated with contamination/cleaning symptoms and hoarding.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School - Nepean, University of Sydney, Sydney/Penrith, NSW, Australia, vbrakoulias@bigpond.com.
authors.forename: Vlasios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brakoulias
authors.forename: Vladan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Starcevic
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berle
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Milicevic
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hannan
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003192:Compulsive Behavior / Q000145:classification* / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D000067836:Hoarding Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009770:Obsessive Behavior / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013850:Thinking