Relationship Between Cognitive Fusion, Experiential Avoidance, and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the relationship among cognitive fusion, experiential avoidance, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Methods

A total of 118 outpatient and inpatient patients with OCD and 109 healthy participants, gender- and age-matched, were selected using cognitive fusion questionnaire (CFQ), acceptance and action questionnaire-2nd edition (AAQ-II), Yale-Brown scale for obsessive-compulsive symptoms, Hamilton anxiety scale, and Hamilton depression scale for questionnaire testing and data analysis.

Results

The levels of cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance in the OCD group were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group (P < 0.05). Regression analysis results showed that, in predicting the total score of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, AAQ-II (β = 0.233, P < 0.05) and CFQ (β = 0.262, P < 0.01) entered the equation, which explained 17.1% variance. In predicting anxiety, only AAQ-II (β = 0.222, P < 0.05) entered the equation, which explained 13% variance. In the prediction of depression, AAQ-II (β = 0.412, P < 0.001) entered the equation, which explained 17.7% variance.

Conclusion

Cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance may be important factors for the maintenance of OCD, and experiential avoidance can positively predict the anxiety and depression of OCD patients.