Perceptions of free will in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a quantitative analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by repetitive behaviors.
• Perceptions of free will in OCD patients are not well understood.
• Understanding free will perceptions may offer new therapeutic targets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the subjective experience of free will in individuals with OCD.
• To examine the relationship between free will perceptions and core OCD clinical features.
• To identify specific dimensions of free will associated with OCD symptomatology.

Main Methods:

• Assessed free will experiences using the Symptomatology And Perceived Free will (SAPF) scale in 295 OCD patients.
• Conducted principal axis factor analysis (PAF) on SAPF scores.
• Regressed factor scores on OCD symptom dimensions and clinical variables (illness duration, severity, insight, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, quality of life).

Main Results:

• Identified three factors of free will: "alternative possibilities," "intentionality," and "ownership."
• Lower "alternative possibilities" scores correlated with washing compulsions, precision symptoms, longer illness duration, higher severity, and lower quality of life.
• Lower "intentionality" scores linked to reduced quality of life; higher "ownership" scores associated with precision symptoms and poorer insight.

Conclusions:

• Diminished free will perception in OCD is significantly associated with key clinical characteristics.
• Illness duration, severity, insight, and quality of life are core clinical features linked to altered free will experiences.
• Findings highlight the importance of assessing free will in the comprehensive understanding and treatment of OCD.