An examination of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and dimensions using profile analysis via multidimensional scaling (PAMS)
Section snippets
Participants
Contemporary models of OCD propose that OC-related beliefs occur, and are correlated with, OC symptoms in the general population. Accordingly, in our first study the sample consisted of 4079 undergraduate university students, of which 67% were women. The mean age was 19 years (SD = 2 years). Data on ethnicity was not systematically collected, although the sample was predominantly White. Participants were recruited from the following sites: SUNY Binghamton University (n = 3066), Florida State
Study 2
Study 1 identified one major profile of OC-related beliefs. The extent to which this profile exists among individuals with OCD, compared with those with other anxiety disorders, would further shed light on the specificity of the profiles in the conceptualization of the disorder. Study 2 was therefore conducted to identify and compare the standardized profiles in individuals with OCD, people with other anxiety disorders, and students.
Discussion
These two studies were the first to utilize PAMS in determining profiles of scores for measures of OC-related dysfunctional beliefs. The findings from Study 1 are consistent with prior research suggesting that there are several prominent subscales of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (Taylor, McKay, & Abramowitz, 2005). Contemporary cognitive models suggest that inflated responsibility plays an important role in producing OC symptoms (see Taylor, Abramowitz, & McKay, 2007 for a discussion). In the
Acknowledgement
We would like to thank the Obsessive-Compulsive Cognitions Workgroup for providing a portion of the data used in this study.
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