Domains of disgust differentially predict types of obsessive-compulsive symptoms

The present study examines the association between disgust domains and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms in a nonclinical sample (N = 580; 73.3% women) (age mean = 36.9: SD = 9.3). The following domains of disgust were assessed: hygiene, moral, sexual, body envelope violation, small animals, and deterioration/disease. Regression analyses revealed that disgust significantly predicted overall obsessive-compulsive symptoms even after controlling for negative affect and anxiety sensitivity. Furthermore, based on regression analyses, differential patterns of specific predictions were found between disgust domains and types of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The hygiene dimension of disgust was a strong predictor of contamination obsessions and washing compulsions. The possible implications of these findings concerning differential relationships between kinds of disgust and types of obsessive-compulsive symptoms are discussed.