Mediational Roles of Not Just Right Experiences and Disgust Proneness Between Deontological Guilt and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms

Contributions suggest that deontological guilt, as opposed to altruistic guilt, is involved in obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms. However, the variables explaining this link have been insufficiently explored despite studies suggesting the role of not-just-right experiences (NJREs) and disgust sensitivity (DS). This study provides data testing the mediational role of these variables in the pathways linking deontological guilt to OC symptoms. We administered self-report questionnaires to a sample of 189 adults (25 males; M age = 29.72, SDage = 4.93) measuring OC symptoms, two dimensions of deontological guilt, as well as NJREs and DS. Path analyses were performed to test the hypotheses. We found that both deontological and altruistic dimensions of guilt were linked to OC-related variables. Also, NJREs and DS were differently associated with OC symptoms and mediated specific pathways between deontological guilt and different OC symptoms. Deontological guilt accounts for OC symptoms, supporting the theoretical model. NJREs and DS are associated with OC symptoms and deontological guilt but play different roles according to the type of OC symptoms. Results partially support previous studies and extend the knowledge of the complex interplay between variables underlying OC symptoms in the general population.