Fear of Self and Unacceptable Thoughts in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

Unacceptable thoughts in OCD have been linked with vulnerable self-themes and a fear of self. Aardema and coworkers recently developed and validated the Fear of Self-Questionnaire (FSQ). Study 1 investigated the Psychometric properties of an Italian translation of the FSQ in a non-clinical sample. Study 2 investigated the role of fear of self in unacceptable thoughts, using a clinical OCD sample. Fear of self was a unique, major predictor of unacceptable thoughts in OCD over and beyond obsessive beliefs.