Obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, and self-esteem: an exploratory study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, and self-esteem: an exploratory study

AU - Ehntholt, K.

AU - Salkovskis, Paul M.

AU - Rimes, Katharine

PY - 1999/8

Y1 - 1999/8

N2 - n a preliminary investigation of the link between self-esteem and obsessional problems, patients with OCD were compared with people suffering from other anxiety disorders and non-anxious controls. A questionnaire was devised which allowed the reliable coding of open ended responses focussed on issues surrounding self-worth; standardized measures of self-esteem and clinical symptomatology were also administered. Results indicated that both clinical groups differed significantly from non-clinical controls on generalized self-esteem assessments. There was some evidence of OCD specific effects; obsessionals were more likely than anxious controls to link their self-worth to other people and their relationships. They also regarded the possibility of causing harm as likely to result in other people making extreme negative and critical judgements of them; the other groups expected the responses of others towards them to be more lenient. The implications for future research and for treatment of OCD are discussed.

AB - n a preliminary investigation of the link between self-esteem and obsessional problems, patients with OCD were compared with people suffering from other anxiety disorders and non-anxious controls. A questionnaire was devised which allowed the reliable coding of open ended responses focussed on issues surrounding self-worth; standardized measures of self-esteem and clinical symptomatology were also administered. Results indicated that both clinical groups differed significantly from non-clinical controls on generalized self-esteem assessments. There was some evidence of OCD specific effects; obsessionals were more likely than anxious controls to link their self-worth to other people and their relationships. They also regarded the possibility of causing harm as likely to result in other people making extreme negative and critical judgements of them; the other groups expected the responses of others towards them to be more lenient. The implications for future research and for treatment of OCD are discussed.

U2 - 10.1016/s0005-7967(98)00177-6

DO - 10.1016/s0005-7967(98)00177-6

M3 - Article

SN - 1873-622X

VL - 37

SP - 771

EP - 781

JO - Behaviour Research and Therapy

JF - Behaviour Research and Therapy

IS - 8

ER -