Thought control moderates the relation between autogenous intrusions and the severity of obsessional symptoms: Further support for the autogenous–reactive model of obsessions

Lee and Kwon's (2003) autogenous–reactive model of obsessions proposes that obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is marked by two distinct types of intrusive thoughts—autogenous and reactive intrusive thoughts. Within Lee and Kwon's model, the use of thought control is purportedly of particular relevance to the phenomenology of autogenous intrusive thoughts. However, to date, the extant literature has provided equivocal conclusions as to the relevance of thought control to autogenous intrusive thoughts. Informed by cognitive-behavioral models of OCD, the relevance of thought control to autogenous intrusive thoughts was further examined in the present research by investigating whether thought control moderated the relation between autogenous/reactive intrusive thoughts and the severity of obsessional symptoms in a large nonclinical sample (N=401). Consistent with predictions, thought control moderated the relation between autogenous, but not reactive, intrusive thoughts and the severity of obsessional symptoms. Simple effects revealed that autogenous intrusive thoughts shared a significant association with the severity of obsessional symptoms at high, but not low, levels of thought control. Conceptual and therapeutic implications are discussed.

► Targeted relations among thought control, intrusions, and obsessional symptoms. ► Two types of intrusions were examined—autogenous and reactive. ► Thought control moderated the autogenous intrusion-obsessional symptom relation. ► These results further support the autogenous–reactive model of obsessions.