Comparison of Metacognitive and Responsibility Beliefs in Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Normal Individuals

This study was carried out to examine the role of responsibility and metacognitive beliefs in obsessive-compulsive disorder while controlling for worry, and to assess the internal relationship between responsibility and metacognitive beliefs. Twenty-five patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), 25 patients with generalized anxiety disorder and 25 normal participants who were selected using convenience sampling method from individuals refered to psychiatric hospitals in the city of Shiraz (Iran), took part in this study. In order to measure metacognitive beliefs, responsibility beliefs and worry the Metacognition Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), Responsibility Attitudes Scale (RAS) and Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) were used respectively. Data were analyzed using one and multiple way analysis of variance, one way analysis of covariance, and appropriate follow-up tests. Results indicated that when responsibility and worry were controlled the OCD and GAD patients differed from normal participants on metacognitive beliefs (p<0.001), but when metacognitive beliefs were controlled, the OCD, GAD and normal group did not differ on responsibility beliefs. Also, the OCD and GAD group did not differ on all metacognotive subscales except for the need to control thoughts. The present data are consistent with meta-cognitive conceptualizations of obsessive-compulsive disorders.