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Emotional Processing and Personality as Predictors of Obsessive-compulsive Symptoms in College Students

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2019

Daniel Calero Vivas ,
Elena Felipe-Castaño  and
Benito León
Daniel Calero Vivas
Affiliation:
Universidad de Extremadura (Spain)
Elena Felipe-Castaño*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Extremadura (Spain)
Benito León
Affiliation:
Universidad de Extremadura (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Elena Felipe-Castaño. Universidad de Extremadura. Departamento de Psicología y Antropología. Avenida de la Universidad, S/N. 10003 Cáceres (Spain). E-mail: efelipe@unex.es
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Abstract

The categorical definition of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and exclusive focus on thoughts and behaviors, have constrained the study and treatment of its symptoms. The present study’s aim was to search for relationships among emotional processing dimensions, five major personality dimensions, and self-perceived obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The participants were 100 college students, and the questionnaires used were a selection of images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS), the Self-assessment Manikin (SAM), the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS), and the NEO-FFI. We found differences in emotional processing dimensions between participants with high and low DOCS scores, grouped according to sex (d = .56); and evidence that the neuroticism and agreeableness dimensions predict self-perceived obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Emotional processing dimensions and personality are considered useful to comprehending obsessive-compulsive symptoms, which lends support to dimensional models of OC symptomatology, as well as planning and developing psychological interventions.

Keywords

college studentsemotionsemotional processingobsessive-compulsive symptomspersonality
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 22 , 2019 , E32
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2019 

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Footnotes

How to cite this article:

Calero Vivas, D., Felipe-Castaño, E., & León, B. (2019). Emotional processing and personality as predictors of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in college students. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 22. e32. Doi:10.1017/sjp.2019.31

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