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Thought Control Strategies in Adolescents: Links with OCD Symptoms and Meta-Cognitive Beliefs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 March 2012

Charlotte Wilson  and
Martin Hall
Charlotte Wilson*
Affiliation:
Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Martin Hall
Affiliation:
University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
*
Reprint requests to Charlotte Wilson, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland. E-mail: cewilson@tcd.ie
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Abstract

Background: The perceived control of intrusive thoughts is important in our understanding of a variety of psychological disorders, but particularly in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Little research has explored thought control strategies in younger populations, despite the frequent onset of OCD in childhood. Aims: This study examined thought control strategies and meta-cognitive beliefs in relation to Obsessive Compulsive (OC) interference scores in an adolescent sample. Method: A non-referred sample of 151 adolescents aged 13–16 completed the Thought Control Questionnaire, the Meta-Cognitions Questionnaire – Adolescent version, and the Leyton Obsessional Inventory – Child Version. Results: Adolescents reported using distraction and worry as thought control strategies as much as adults, but social control and reappraisal less frequently, with adolescent males also reporting less use of punishment as a strategy. The strategies of worry and punishment, and positive beliefs about worry, uncontrollability and danger beliefs (UCD) and superstition punishment and responsibility beliefs (SPR) predicted OC interference scores. Furthermore, these meta-cognitive beliefs mediated the relationships between punishment and worry and OC interference scores. Conclusions: Given the similarities between our results and those from research exploring these variables in adults, it is proposed that cognitive behavioural models of OCD that have been developed in adult populations may be relevant to adolescents, but that meta-cognitive beliefs about superstition, punishment and responsibility may be important in adolescence.

Keywords

Obsessive-compulsive disorderthought controlmeta-cognitionadolescence
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 40 , Issue 4 , July 2012 , pp. 438 - 451
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2012

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