Obsessive-compulsive symptoms: the contribution of metacognitions and responsibility

Two different cognitive models of obsessive-compulsive symptoms were evaluated. One model [Salkovskis, P. M. (1985). Obsessional-compulsive problems a cognitive-behavioral analysis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 23, 571–583.] gives a central and necessary role to beliefs and appraisals concerning responsibility. The other [Wells, A. (1997). Cognitive therapy of anxiety disorders: a practice manual and conceptual guide. Chichester, UK: Wiley.] attaches a central and necessary role to metacognitive beliefs about the meaning and danger of thoughts/feelings and the need for control. We tested the unique contributions of responsibility or metacognitions to obsessive-compulsive symptoms whilst controlling for their intercorrelations and worry. Consistent with each model, responsibility and metacognitions were positively associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, even when worry was controlled for. However, responsibility was not associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms when metacognitions and worry were controlled, but the relationship between metacognitive beliefs and obsessive-compulsive symptoms was independent of responsibility and worry. Responsibility did not add anything to the variance in symptoms explained by metacognitions. The data provide further support for the metacognitive model.