“Should I keep washing my groceries?“: Predictors of differential patterns of contamination-related obsessive-compulsive symptoms since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction

Contamination fears and associated washing behaviors are common in obsessive-compulsive symptoms (c-OCS). These fears and behaviors are often motivated by disease avoidance. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to better understand c-OCS given that public health recommendations centered on behaviors common to c-OCS in non-pandemic times. This review systematically examined the nature of c-OCS associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method

PubMed and PsycINFO databases were searched. A total of sixteen studies were retained (n = 16) using PRISMA guidelines.

Results

the present findings point to the relative infrequency of net-new c-OCS and the importance of elevated c-OCS prior to the pandemic in predicting worsening c-OCS during the pandemic.

Implications

Clinical implications in future pandemics as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.