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Clinical features of scrupulosity: Associated symptoms and comorbidity
Author(s) -
Siev Jedidiah,
Rasmussen Jessica,
Sullivan Alexandra D. W.,
Wilhelm Sabine
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.23019
Subject(s) - psychology , comorbidity , quality of life (healthcare) , psychiatry , clinical psychology , obsessive compulsive , depression (economics) , population , exposure and response prevention , personality disorders , personality , psychiatric comorbidity , medicine , psychotherapist , social psychology , environmental health , economics , macroeconomics
Abstract Objective Scrupulosity is a manifestation of obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by religious or moral core fears. Clinicians often struggle to treat scrupulosity, which may be associated with several features known to predict poor treatment outcome. The purpose of this study was to examine these features in participants with scrupulous OCD, contamination OCD, and healthy controls. Method A total of 68 participants (57.4% women, age mean = 34.01) completed diagnostic interviews, and measures of symptoms and quality‐of‐life. Results Relative to comparison groups, scrupulous participants had higher rates of obsessive‐compulsive personality disorder, more severe schizotypal symptoms, and more severe symptoms of depression. In addition, OCD severity was strongly associated with poor insight in the scrupulous group. Both OCD groups reported poorer quality of life than did healthy controls. Conclusions Clinicians working with scrupulous individuals may enhance the efficacy of treatment in this challenging population by assessing carefully for these features, and incorporating treatment elements that address them.