The Relationship between Perceived Parenting Behaviors, Adult Attachment Styles, Fear of Self, and Severity of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD is a serious psychiatric condition characterized by obsessions and repetitive compulsions. Nurses have a challenge to provide evidence-based care by identifying risk factors that exacerbate the symptoms and severity of OCD. There has been a significant emphasis in recent years on examining psychological and interpersonal aspects, such as parental behaviors, adult attachment styles, and fear of self, among those with OCD. Aim: To examine the relationship between perceived parenting behaviors, adult attachment styles, fear of self, and severity of OCD. Design: A descriptive correlational design was utilized in this study. Sample: A purposive sample of 86 OCD patients were recruited from the outpatient clinics at El Kasr El Ainy Psychiatric and Addiction Hospital. Tools of data collection : A Sociodemographic and Medial data sheet, Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Parenting Authority Questionnaire, Yarmouk Scale of Adult Attachment Styles, and Fear of self-questionnaire. Result: Anxious attachment style had a strong statistically significant positive correlation with authoritarian, permissive parenting behavior, and severity of OCD. Moreover, fear of self had a statistically significant positive correlation with anxious and avoidant attachment styles, and negative significant correlation with secure attachment style. As well, there was statistically significant impact of authoritarian, permissive parenting behaviors, and anxious attachment style on the severity of OCD symptoms. Conclusion : Parenting behaviors, adult attachment styles, and fear of self are strongly associated with OCD. Counseling interventions are necessary to assist these patients in transcending their emotional challenges