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Inflated responsibility in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Psychometric studies of a semiidiographic measure

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Abstract

An excessive sense of responsibility has been attributed a key role in recent models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This study presents the development and initial validation of the Responsibility Questionnaire. Three hundred ninety-seven volunteer adults participated in the study. The Responsibility Questionnaire demonstrated adequate stability over a 6-week interval. Correlation analysis showed that responsibility was significantly related to obsessive-compulsive symptoms, thought suppression, irrational beliefs, and obsessional thoughts. Results are discussed in terms of current models of OCD and the implications for future research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecole de psychologie, Université Laval, G1K 7P4, Québec, Canada

    Josée Rhéaume, Mark H. Freeston & Hélène Letarte

Authors
  1. Josée Rhéaume
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  2. Robert Ladouceur
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  3. Mark H. Freeston
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  4. Hélène Letarte
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Additional information

This study was conducted by the first author under the supervision of the second author in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Maîtrise de Psychologie degree at Université Laval. The first author was supported by les Fonds pour la Formation de Chercheurs et l'Aide à la Recherche.

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Rhéaume, J., Ladouceur, R., Freeston, M.H. et al. Inflated responsibility in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Psychometric studies of a semiidiographic measure. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 16, 265–276 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02239407

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