Metacognition in obsessive-compulsive disorder symptom dimensions: Role of fusion beliefs, beliefs about rituals and stop signals

The role of OCD-specific metacognitions (thought fusion beliefs, beliefs about rituals, beliefs about stop signals) has been accentuated in Wells' (2001) Metacognitive Model. This study aimed at investigating the applicability of the model in OCD symptom dimensions. Participants completed a web-based survey comprising multiple questionnaires to assess their OCD symptom dimensions, OCD-specific metacognitions, and their general metacognitions and worries. Of the 276 total respondents who completed the survey, 227 met A- and B-self-rating criteria of the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) regarding OCD; these 227 participants made up the final sample. We analyzed the participants' responses using regression models on each OCD symptom dimension to determine how much of the variance in each model was accounted for by the different OCD-specific and general metacognitions. Results showed that when the OCD-specific metacognitive measures were added to the model, they did not explain additional variance for each OCD symptom dimension. Additionally, in the final equations we found that different patterns of OCD-specific and general metacognitive beliefs were significant predictors for different symptom dimensions. Overall, the results show that the hypothesized role of OCD-specific metacognitive beliefs as proposed by the Metacognitive Model might not be applicable to each OCD symptom dimension.