ABSTRACT
Objective:
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex
mental disorder to treat. However, there are some deficiencies in
research performed to date about the psychological and behavioral factors that may trigger obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS). Based on the
Psychopathology of
Self-Control Theory which states that deficits in
self-control underpin psychiatric symptoms, this study investigated the factors influencing OCS among college
students.
Methods:
A total of 5599 non-clinical
Chinese college
students were recruited to complete the
Chinese version of the
Self-Control Scale, Aitken
Procrastination Inventory, and Symptom
Checklist-90. Pearson's correlation analyses and the bootstrap
method were performed to test our hypothesis.
Results:
The following results were obtained (a) There were significant correlations among
self-control,
procrastination,
anxiety, and OCS. (b) When controlling for the effects of age and
sex,
self-control remained a significant negative predictor of OCS. (c) The
mediating roles of
procrastination and
anxiety, and the chain
mediating role of
procrastination and
anxiety were the three predicted pathways linking
self-control and OCS.
Conclusion:
This study highlights the significance of
self-control deficiencies in OCS. It provides new insights into the psychological and behavioral factors that increase the
risk of OCS with important practical implications for early intervention in OCD.