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Behavioral inhibition and obsessive-compulsive disorder
Meredith E Coles1, Casey A Schofield, Ashley S Pietrefesa
1Department of Psychology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA. mcoles@binghamton.edu
Journal of Anxiety Disorders
|April 20, 2006
Summary
Childhood behavioral inhibition (BI) is linked to adult obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. This study found BI uniquely predicts OCD, suggesting it
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Behavioral inhibition (BI) is a known risk factor for anxiety disorders.
- The specific relationship between BI and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the unique association between BI and OCD symptoms.
- To examine BI as a predictor of adult OCD.
- To explore potential moderators of the BI-OCD relationship.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a large, unselected student sample.
- Assessed current obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms.
- Measured retrospective self-reports of childhood BI (total, social, and nonsocial components).
Main Results:
- OC symptoms strongly correlated with childhood BI levels.
- BI showed a unique relationship with OC symptoms, independent of social anxiety.
- Childhood BI significantly predicted adult OCD symptom severity.
- Preliminary findings suggest BI may relate differently to specific OC symptom subtypes.
Conclusions:
- Behavioral inhibition is a significant predictor in the etiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the role of BI in OCD development.
- Parenting styles, such as overprotective parenting, may influence the BI-OCD link.