Introduction: In metacognitive theory, thought fusion beliefs, beliefs
about rituals, and beliefs about stop signals predict obsessive-compulsive
symptoms. The number of controlled studies using specific scales to
assess these three belief domains in different cultures is limited.
Methods: The comparison sample consisted of patients with obsessivecompulsive
disorder (n: 106) and control (n: 200) group. Participants
filled out the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised form, Penn
State Worry Scale, Obsessive Beliefs Scale-44, Thought Fusion Inventory,
Beliefs about Rituals Inventory and Stop Signs Questionnaire. Correlation
analysis of worry and OCD symptom severity levels, cognitions and
metacognitions in OCD were performed between groups. Worry,
cognition and metacognitive predictors of obsessive-compulsive
symptoms were analyzed with a hierarchical linear regression model.
Results: The metacognitive scale scores were significantly higher in the
OCD group than in the control group except for hoarding (p<0.001).
Obsessive-compulsive symptoms were statistically positively correlated
(r: 0.17–0.53) with all three metacognitive functions in the OCD and
control groups (except ordering in the control group). In addition to
the three metacognitive domains, worry, perfectionism and intolerance
of uncertainty predicted obsessive-compulsive symptoms (p<0.05).
All three metacognitive domains contributed to the variance in the
hierarchical regression model in addition to worry and cognitions
(p<0.05).
Conclusion: All the three metacognitive domains were correlated with
OCD symptom severity. Metacognitions explained additional variance
above and beyond cognitions. Metacognitive assessment domains of
OCD predicted OCD symptom severity when included in the hierarchical
regression model.
Keywords: Beliefs about rituals, hoarding, metacognition, metacognitive
therapy, obsessive-compulsive disorder, stop signals thought fusion