Responsibility attitudes and interpretations are characteristic of obsessive compulsive disorder

The cognitive-behavioural theory of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) pro poses that a key factor influencing obsessional behaviour is the way in whi ch the intrusive cognitions are interpreted. The present paper reports an i nvestigation of links between clinical symptoms (of anxiety, depression and obsessionality) and responsibility beliefs. These beliefs include not only measures of general responsibility attitudes (assumptions) but also more s pecific responsibility appraisals consequent on intrusive cognitions. The c haracteristics of two new questionnaires specifically designed to measure t hese beliefs were assessed in patients suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, in patients suffering from other anxiety disorders and in non-cli nical controls. The scales measuring negative beliefs about responsibility were found to have good reliability and internal consistency. Comparisons b etween criterion groups indicate considerable specificity for both assumpti ons and appraisals with respect to OCD. There was also good evidence of spe cificity in the association between responsibility cognitions and obsession al symptoms across groups, and that this association was not a consequence of links with anxiety or depressive symptoms. Although the two measures wer e correlated, they each made unique contributions to the prediction of obse ssional symptoms. Overall, the results are consistent with the hypothesis t hat responsibility beliefs are important in the experience of obsessional p roblems. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.