What do low-dysfunctional beliefs obsessive-compulsive disorder subgroups believe?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) heterogeneity research identified a patient subgroup that endorsed few of the dysfunctional beliefs posited to be important to development of obsessional disorders. Because of the clinical and theoretical importance of such heterogeneity, we attempted to elucidate the concerns of a low-beliefs OCD subgroup. We evaluated specific metacognitive beliefs and monitoring tendencies assessed on the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ-30; Wells & Cartwright-Hatton, 2004), and feelings of incompleteness ("not just right experiences" [NJREs]) believed to reflect an inability to use emotional experience and sensory feedback to guide behavior (Summerfeldt, 2007). Low (OCD-L) and high dysfunctional beliefs (OCD-H) OCD patient subgroups, and anxious and student comparison groups, completed measures. Scoring on the MCQ-30 differentiated OCD subgroups, although evaluations of differences and correlations with OCD symptom measures indicated that these metacognitive beliefs more so characterized the thinking of the OCD-H subgroup. Scoring on NJREs measures also differentiated OCD subgroups. NJREs scores were consistently related to OCD symptoms only for the OCD-L subgroup. Results are congruent with theoretical formulations positing that harm avoidance and feelings of incompleteness are important and distinct motivations that underlie specific variants of OCD.

Anxiety sensitivity and obsessive--compulsive disorder.

Anxiety sensitivity (AS), a cognitive risk factor for anxiety disorders, was evaluated in a homogeneous obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) sample. A total of 280 individuals with OCD completed measures. Evaluation of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index revealed a latent structure that was congruent with previous studies showing a single higher order and three lower order factors, although greater variance was accounted for by the general factor than in a previous study. AS was significantly associated with OCD symptom severity after controlling for other putative cognitive risk factors, although the additional variance explained was small. Variability in the relationship of AS to OCD symptom severity was found across OCD symptom subgroups. Results suggest that AS might be an important aspect of OCD-relevant cognition for specific OCD subgroups, and the need for experimental evaluation is discussed.

Implicit learning, thought-focused attention and obsessive-compulsive disorder: a replication and extension.

Although significant empirical support exists for both cognitive and neurobiological models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), there have been few efforts to integrate findings. In this investigation, we attempted to link models by examining relationships between performance on information processing tasks posited to be markers of OCD-related neuropathology and a self-report measure of excessive thought-focused attention (cognitive self-consciousness; CSC). Congruent with predictions and prior research, OCD patients' performance was impaired in comparison to an anxious control group on the Serial Reaction Time (SRT) Task, a measure of implicit procedural learning. Following completion of the SRT, participants' awareness of the embedded stimulus pattern was assessed. As predicted, participants with OCD demonstrated superior performance on this task. Scoring on a measure of CSC correlated with performance on both tasks, although the amount of variance accounted for was modest. Evaluation of OCD symptom subgroups revealed greater procedural learning impairment in a hoarding subgroup. Implications for theory and treatment are discussed.

Acculturation and sexual function in Asian women.

Cultural effects on sexuality are pervasive and potentially of great clinical importance, but have not yet received sustained empirical attention. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of acculturation on sexual permissiveness and sexual function, with a particular focus on arousal in Asian women living in Canada. We also compared questionnaire responses between Asian and Euro-Canadian groups in hopes of investigating whether acculturation captured unique information not predicted by ethnic group affiliation. Euro-Canadian (n = 173) and Asian (n = 176) female university students completed a battery of questionnaires in private. Euro-Canadian women had significantly more sexual knowledge and experiences, more liberal attitudes, and higher rates of desire, arousal, sexual receptivity, and sexual pleasure. Anxiety from anticipated sexual activity was significantly higher in Asian women, but the groups did not differ significantly on relationship satisfaction or problems with sexual function. Acculturation to Western culture, as well as maintained affiliation with traditional Asian heritage, were both significantly and independently related to sexual attitudes above and beyond length of residency in Canada, and beyond ethnic group comparisons. Overall, these data suggest that measurement of acculturation may capture information about an individual's unique acculturation pattern that is not evident when focusing solely on ethnic group comparisons or length of residency, and that such findings may be important in facilitating the assessment, classification, and treatment of sexual difficulties in Asian women.