Personality Beliefs in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: How Are They Related to Symptom Severity?

Abstract

Objective The comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and personality disorders (PDs) is frequent but there are conflicting findings about which PDs are the most common. This study aimed to investigate the personality beliefs that exist on a more pathological level among OCD patients, to explore the association between personality beliefs and OCD severity, and to clarify the mediator effect of depression in this relationship.Methods 202 OCD patients and 76 healthy controls with similar sociodemographic features were included in the study. The Personality Belief Questionnaire-Short Form was administered to both groups. The Yale-Brown Obsessions and Compulsions Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory were administered only to the clinical sample.Results The dependent, histrionic, paranoid, borderline, and avoidant personality subscale scores were significantly higher in the OCD group than in the control group. There was an association only between OCD severity and narcissistic personality beliefs, also depression mediated the relationship between narcissistic personality and OCD severity.Conclusion Some personality beliefs at a pathological level are more common among OCD patients. Personality beliefs, as well as depression, should be routinely assessed, as they may affect OCD severity, help-seeking behavior, and response to treatment.

A Network Analysis Study to Evaluate Obsessive-Compulsive Beliefs/Dimensions and Personality Beliefs in Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): A Cross-Sectional Study in Two Common OCD Subtypes

“…Previous research showed that avoidant personality beliefs were significantly higher in the OCD group than healthy individuals. However, no research about avoidant personality beliefs found in the danger/checking subtype ( 8 ). The results of the BEI showed that obsessive perfection beliefs and obsessive personality beliefs were the links between obsessive beliefs and personality beliefs.…”

“…These cognitive characteristics are said to be the main point of emphasis and the change process in cognitive therapies for personality disorders ( 7 ). The results showed that histrionic, borderline, dependent, avoidant, and paranoid personality beliefs were significantly more elevated in the PwOCD compared to healthy individuals ( 8 ). The broad definition of OCD in the DSM-5, however, considers that the symptoms result from a specific and unique compulsive behavior and defects in the behavioral inhibition dimension ( 6 ).…”