Child abuse and neglect and Obsessive–Compulsive Personality Traits: effects of attachment, intolerance of uncertainty, and metacognition

Emily Gray*, Naomi Sweller, Simon Boag

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) is extensively implicated as a risk factor preceding the development of Obsessive–Compulsive Personality Traits (OCPT). Nevertheless, the majority of individuals with a history of CAN do not go on to develop OCPT. To date, little research has investigated potential model networks that may help contribute to explaining why CAN sometimes leads to OCPT and not at other times. Thus, this study aimed to investigate whether attachment-anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, and metacognition have indirect effects in the association between CAN and OCPT in various network models. Undergraduate psychology students (N = 291) participated in an anonymous 30-min online survey consisting of a series of self-report questionnaires regarding child abuse and neglect, attachment, intolerance of uncertainty, metacognition, OCPT, and depression. Bootstrapped serial mediation revealed attachment-anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty had a serial-mediation effect in the association between CAN and OCPT. Serial mediation was not found for metacognition and attachment-anxiety. However, metacognition alone mediated between child emotional abuse and OCPT. These findings expand our currently limited knowledge regarding the etiology of OCPT and suggest that attachment-anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, and metacognition may be important contributors for understanding the development of OCPT following CAN exposure. The potential clinical utility for both assessment and treatment are discussed.
Original languageEnglish
Article number109862
Pages (from-to)1189–1209
Number of pages21
JournalJournal of Child and Adolescent Trauma
Volume17
Issue number4
Early online date9 Jul 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2024

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

  • child abuse and neglect
  • intolerance of uncertainty
  • mediation
  • metacognition
  • obsessive–compulsive

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