The relationship between anxiety sensitivity and obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions

Background and objectivesAnxiety sensitivity (AS), the tendency to fear arousal-related body sensations based on beliefs that they are dangerous, is a cognitive vulnerability factor for certain anxiety symptoms such as panic and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Very little research, however, has examined the relationship between AS and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms, which was the objective of the current research.MethodsWe administered dimensional measures of AS and OC symptoms to a large sample of undergraduate students (N = 636). We also included measures of general distress and cognitive distortions related to OCD (i.e., obsessive beliefs) as control variables.ResultsRegression analyses indicated that AS was predictive of OC symptoms even after controlling for general distress and obsessive beliefs. In addition, the three domains of AS (physical, social, and cognitive concerns) were differentially associated with the four dimensions of OC symptoms (contamination, responsibility for harm, symmetry, and unacceptable thoughts).LimitationsOur findings are based on a non-clinical student sample and their generalization to OCD requires replication with a sample of OCD patients.ConclusionsThese results provide preliminary evidence that AS plays a role in OC symptoms. Implications for clinical practice and for future research are discussed.

► Investigated relationships between anxiety sensitivity and OC symptoms.
► Anxiety sensitivity dimensions were related to different OC symptom dimensions.
► Relationships were not explained by disorder-specific beliefs or general distress.