RELIGION AND GUILT IN OCD PATIENTS

The present study examined the relationships among type and severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, types of religious practice and upbringing, degree of religiosity, and guilt. Subjects were 33 OCDs and 24 patients with other anxiety disorders. Findings indicated that no type of religion was more prevalent among OCD patients than other groups. OCDs were not significantly more religious or more guilty than other anxious subjects. Nonetheless, severity of OCD pathology was positively correlated with both religiosity and guilt, whereas moodstate was not. Social anxiety was associated with guilt but not with religiosity. OCDs who were more religious more often reported religious obsessions, but not sexual or aggressive ones. Guilt was not related to any type of obsession. As expected, greater religious devotion was related to more guilt in OCDs, but not in other anxiety patients. The relationship between religion, guilt, and OCD symptoms is discussed and suggestions for further research are proposed. © 1991.