1 Concordia University, Department of Psychology, 7141 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H4B 1R6.
2 Concordia University, Department of Psychology, 7141 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H4B 1R6. Electronic address: Adam.Radomsky@concordia.ca.

Background and objectives: Cognitive models of OCD posit that dysfunctional beliefs contribute to the maintenance of symptoms. In addition to well-established belief domains, beliefs about losing control has been identified as a novel cognitive domain which may influence OCD phenomena, including other dysfunctional beliefs. However, the exact nature of these relationships and whether such relationships are influenced by OCD symptoms is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between appraisals of losing control and other OCD-relevant appraisals in individuals scoring high and low on OCD symptoms.

Methods: 137 participants completed a vignette task describing hypothetical scenarios relevant to OCD (doubting and aggressive thoughts) which varied in the level of losing control (high vs. low) and answered questions to assess other OCD-relevant appraisals.

Results: There was a significant main effect of losing control appraisals on other OCD-relevant appraisals in the aggressive thought vignettes but not in the doubting vignettes. OCD symptoms had a significant effect on OCD-relevant appraisals in both the aggressive thought and doubting vignettes. There were no significant interactions.

Limitations: Appraisals of losing control did not significantly differ in the doubting vignettes suggesting the impact of the manipulation may have been limited.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that both appraisals of losing control and level of OCD symptoms may be associated with other OCD-relevant appraisals, however these effects may be independent of one another.