Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Shari Steinman

Committee Member

Kevin Larkin

Committee Member

Julie Patrick

Committee Member

Julie Hicks Patrick

Committee Member

Aaron Gale

Abstract

Scrupulosity is a subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) where individuals are upset by intrusive thoughts related to religious or moral issues. Current research suggests that scrupulosity occurs across the major world religions—including the Abrahamic religions (i.e., Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). Some research suggests that moral thought-action fusion (moral TAF), a dysfunctional belief that thinking something is equal to doing it, may only be pathological under certain circumstances (e.g., if it is not culturally normative). If this is true, the current cognitive model of scrupulosity may need to be amended to reflect how cultural differences impact the role of moral TAF as a risk-factor in the development of scrupulosity. The current study included participants (N=207) identifying as Jewish (n=73), Muslim (n=66), and Christian (n=68) residing in the United States who were at least 18 and could read English. Participants were recruited through CloudResearch and the community. Participants completed a series of questionnaires online assessing scrupulosity, moral TAF, religiosity, etc. in a randomized order. They then completed a thought-induction task. This is the first study to explore how the relationship between moral TAF and scrupulosity symptoms may differ across the Abrahamic religions. Results suggest that moral TAF most strongly predicted scrupulosity symptoms for those identifying as Jewish and least strongly predicted scrupulosity symptoms for those identifying as Christian. Moral TAF may thus only pose as a risk-factor if it is not culturally normative, and the current cognitive model of scrupulosity may need to be modified to reflect greater cultural sensitivity. Exploratory analyses also suggest that the moral domain of purity/sanctity may be an important, culturally dependent variable to include within the cognitive model of scrupulosity.

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