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Parental control and obsessive-compulsive symptoms: the role of metacognitions & self-identity
Author(s)
Date Issued
2010
Citation
Guo, X., & Tang, S. K. (11-16 Jul 2010). Parental control and obsessive-compulsive symptoms: the role of metacognitions & self-identity. 27th International Congress of Applied Psychology, Melbourne, Australia.
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
Although the effect of parenting styles and the development of anxiety disorders has been proposed, its effect has yet to be studied in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). As yet, we know very little about how they might exert its influence on the development of OCD. Theories like the Metacognition (Wells, 2004) and the Discrepant self-identity theories (Purdon & Clark, 1999) have suggested some possible
etiological mechanisms in OCD, yet they have not been thoroughly investigated as with the established cognitive theories of OCD. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the connections between parenting styles and OCD. In particular, we investigated whether OCD-like metacognitions and/or discrepant self-identities (i.e. the difference between one’s current selfattribution and desired self-attribution) would
mediate the influence of negative parenting styles on OCD symptoms. A sample of 462 healthy adult community participants in Singapore was surveyed. Each participant filled out an anonymous questionnaire on: negative parental discipline styles, discrepancy between current and desired self-identity, metacognitive styles (e.g. thought fusion), and OCD symptom level and subtypes. Trait worry level was also taken, in order to control for its influence on OCD symptoms. Results of Bootstrap analyses showed that negative parenting style was significantly correlated with discrepant selfidentity, worry, OCD meta-cognitions, and OCD symptoms. Booststrap mediational analysis further illustrated that the association between discrepant self-identifies and OCD symptoms was fully mediated by worry. Furthermore, when worry was controlled for, the association between negative parental discipline styles and OCD symptoms was partially mediated by OCD metacognitive beliefs. The observed involvement of negative parenting style indicates a familial influence on OCD symptoms
that warrants further exploration. In addition, the results lend support to the Metacognition
Theory (Wells, 1997), which argues that the manner in which people process their thoughts
contributes to their OCD symptoms. Consonant with current literature, discrepant self-identity
appears to influence OCD, albeit in a non-specific way. This finding is largely commensurate with
Purdon and Clark’s theory (1999). This study has great implications on the understanding of OCD.
It also contributed to the limited literature on parenting and mental disorders in the context of Singapore.
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