Implicit aggressive self-concept in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: Results from an approach-avoidance...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Neuroscience
• Psychopathology

Background:

• Previous research indicates higher explicit anger and aggression in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• However, findings on implicit aggressiveness in OCD using implicit measures have been inconsistent.
• This study aimed to clarify implicit aggressiveness in OCD using an approach-avoidance task.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate implicit aggressiveness in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• To examine the relationship between specific OCD symptom dimensions and implicit aggressiveness.
• To compare implicit aggressiveness between OCD patients and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Employed a computerized approach-avoidance task (AAT) with aggressive, peaceful, negative, and positive stimuli.
• Assessed 78 patients with OCD and 37 healthy controls.
• Utilized structured clinical interviews and measures of anger, OCD, and depressive symptoms.

Main Results:

• Patients with OCD reported higher explicit anger, consistent with prior studies.
• No overall difference in implicit aggressiveness was found between OCD patients and controls.
• Patients with high scores in obsessing and hoarding dimensions showed a significant implicit approach bias towards aggressive words.

Conclusions:

• Implicit measures suggest no generalized increase in aggressiveness in OCD patients.
• A specific implicit approach bias towards aggressive self-statements was identified in OCD patients with high obsessing and hoarding symptoms.
• Further research is needed to understand the functional links between OCD symptom dimensions and implicit aggressiveness.