Intrusive thoughts and psychopathy in a student and incarcerated sample

Unwanted intrusive thoughts play an integral role in a number of different disorders including obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use and abuse disorders. The objectives of this study were twofold. First, we examined intrusive thoughts and impulses in a student and incarcerated sample. Second, in an effort to better understand the non-universality of the intrusive thought experience, we hypothesized that psychopathic traits may be accounting for the 10-20% of individuals who deny the experience of intrusive thoughts. Using the methodology of Rachman, S., and de Silva, P. [(1978). Abnormal and normal obsessions. Behavior Research and Therapy, 16, 233-248] and Salkovskis, P.M., and Harrison, J. [(1984). Abnormal and normal obsessions: a replication. Behavior Research and Therapy, 22, 549-552], the frequency and content of intrusive thinking were extremely similar to the original studies for the student group. Higher levels of psychopathic traits appear to account for a lower number of intrusive thoughts and impulses within the inmate sample. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.