Predicting the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms based on attachment styles: The mediating role of health anxiety

 Obsessive-compulsive disorder is the fourth psychiatric disorder that reduces the quality of life. Therefore, it is important to investigate the causes of the formation and persistence of these symptoms. The main goal of this study is to predict obsessive-compulsive symptoms based on attachment styles through the mediating role of health anxiety.

The present study used descriptive-correlational and path analysis. The statistical population of this study includes Iranian adults, of which 370 people were selected as the research sample by the convenient sampling method. Data were collected online using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Scale (Y-BOCS), Collins and Reed Attachment Styles (RAAS), and Health Anxiety Scale (HAI-18). Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and path analysis using SPSS software version 26 and AMOS version 24 were used in analyzing data.

A significant correlation has been observed (P< 0.01) between the styles of secure attachment (r= -0.10), anxiety attachment (r= 0.28), avoidant attachment (r= -0.20), and health anxiety (r= 0.42) with the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. In addition, the results of Bootstrap indicate that the mediating role of health anxiety in the relationship between anxiety insecurity and avoidance insecure attachment styles with the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms is significant (P= 0.001). 

 Based on the findings, insecure anxiety, and insecure avoidance attachment styles are able to not only predict the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms by interacting with health anxiety but also, they do affect it.