Predictors of mental pollution: The contribution of religion, parenting strategies, and childhood trauma

One presentation of obsessive-compulsive disorder that has begun to receive research attention is mental pollution, a sense of inward contamination that persists regardless of the presence of external contaminants. Given the need to better understand this phenomenon, we sought to identify predictor variables that could inform theory, treatment, and prevention. A large number of undergraduate students completed a battery of self-report questionnaires assessing personal experiences, religious variables, parenting strategies, and childhood trauma, that appear theoretically relevant to mental pollution. Results indicated that mental pollution was not associated with degree of religiosity, yet positively associated with exposure to childhood trauma and maladaptive guilt induction strategies by one's parents. Implications for the assessment and cognitive-behavioral treatment of mental pollution, as well as limitations of the study, are discussed.

► Mental pollution is a presentation of OCD that needs to be better understood.
► Identifying predictor variables of mental pollution could inform theory, treatment, and prevention.
► Mental pollution was positively associated with childhood trauma and guilt induction by parents.
► Interventions addressing predictor variables may enhance effectiveness of exposures.