The relationship between disgust sensitivity and avoidant behavior: studies of clinical and nonclinical samples

Researchers have reported links between specific phobias (of small animals and blood/ injection/injury (BII)) and disgust sensitivity. Avoidance is one route by which disgust sensitivity may play a role in the etiology or maintenance of pathological fear. This paper discusses a series of three studies to examine behavior associated with disgust sensitivity. Study I examined disgust sensitivity and avoidance of disgust-evoking tasks among spider fearful and nonfearful participants. Study 2 reanalyzed previously published data on the relationship between disgust sensitivity and visual avoidance of BII stimuli and spiders. Study 3 examined disgust sensitivity in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Results indicate the trait of disgust sensitivity is a poor predictor of avoidance behavior in specific situations, but state disgust more consistently predicts avoidance, suggesting future research in specific phobia should shift emphasis toward examining the role of state disgust.