Metacognition in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

This study examined metacognitive processes in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders (AD), and a non-clinical group. Study A involved secondary data analysis of performance differences between participants with OCD versus an Anxiety Disorder (AD) on a serial reactio...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author Socha, Jami L
Format Dissertation
LanguageEnglish
Published ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2014
Subjects
Behavioral psychology
Clinical psychology
Cognitive psychology
Mental health
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Summary:This study examined metacognitive processes in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders (AD), and a non-clinical group. Study A involved secondary data analysis of performance differences between participants with OCD versus an Anxiety Disorder (AD) on a serial reaction time (SRT) task. The goal of Study A was to elucidate important metacognitive processes that may underlie differences in implicit procedural learning among individuals with OCD. Results revealed a construct known as Incompleteness (i.e. subjective sense that actions or experiences are not 'right') was associated with slower reaction times on the SRT when controlling for age. However, counter to predictions, individuals with OCD could not be differentiated from those with Anxiety Disorders by higher Incompleteness scores. Study B involved original data collection via an online study protocol that recruited individuals with OCD, Anxiety Disorders (AD), and a non-clinical (NC) group. All participants completed a brief three-item problem solving task, known as the Cognitive Reflection Test (Frederick, 2005), as well as measures of their metacognitive experiences. Results revealed individuals with OCD were characterized by lower Feelings of Rightness (i.e. not feeling answers were accurate) and a greater desire to think more about items on the CRT compared to the AD and NC groups. Furthermore, while repeating the task enhanced Feelings of Rightness (FOR) for the AD and NC groups, further deliberation did not increase FOR for individuals with OCD. Overall, Study B supports the existence of key differences in metacognitive experiences that may be specific to individuals with OCD. Implications and areas for further research are discussed.
ISBN:1321283725
9781321283723