Comparing Attentional Control and Intrusive Thoughts in ‎Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety ‎Disorder and Non Clinical Population

Objective: Attention is an ‎important factor in information ‎processing; obsessive- ‎compulsive disorder (OCD) ‎and generalized anxiety ‎disorder (GAD) are two main ‎emotional disorders with a ‎chronic course. This research ‎examined the relationship ‎among attentional control and ‎intrusive thoughts (worry, ‎rumination and obsession) in ‎these disorders. It was ‎hypothesized that attentional ‎control is a common factor in ‎OCD and GAD. In addition, we ‎compared worry, rumination ‎and obsession among OCD, ‎GAD and non- clinical ‎participants‏. ‏ Method: The research sample ‎included three groups: OCD (n ‎‎= 25), GAD (n = 30) and non- ‎clinical samples (n = 56). Data ‎were collected using the ‎Attentional Control Scale ‎‎(ACS), Rumination Response ‎Scale (RRS), Pennsylvania ‎State Worry Questionnaire ‎‎(PSWQ), Beck Depression ‎Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety ‎Inventory (BAI), Obsessive-‎Compulsive Inventory-Revised ‎‎(OCI-R) and General Health ‎Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Data ‎were analyzed using MANOVA ‎and MANCOVA by SPSS-17‎‏. ‏ Result: Multivariate Analysis ‎of Variance revealed that the ‎OCD and GAD groups ‎reported greater deficits in ‎attentional control, higher ‎obsessive-compulsive ‎symptoms, rumination, worry, ‎anxiety and depression ‎compared to the control group‏.‏ Conclusion: This research ‎indicated a great attentional ‎deficit in obsessive- ‎compulsive disorder and ‎generalized anxiety disorder. ‎However, no significant ‎difference was found between ‎these two disorders.‎