Shame proneness in symptom dimensions of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Although one study has noted that shame may play a significant role in anxiety disorders (Fergus, Valentiner, McGratch, & Jencius, 2010), the literature does not address the appearance of shame within specific dimensions of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In this study, shame is assessed within four common symptom dimensions of OCD: contamination, harm, unacceptable thoughts, and symmetry. The authors hypothesized that shame would be significantly related to unacceptable thoughts and harm, but not other dimensions. Ninety-one individuals with OCD completed the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (measuring severity of OCD symptom dimensions) and the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (assessing shame proneness). Results indicated a positive significant relationship between shame and harm, but not unacceptable thoughts. Additionally, a significant correlation was found between shame and symmetry. This is possibly due to a relationship between perfectionism and symmetry (Wu & Cortesi, 2009). These findings suggest that shame is related to certain dimensions of OCD and may deserve consideration in relation to treatment.