Parenting and Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms

Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms
Cognitive-behavioral theories of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have hypothesized central role of social learning in the development of OCD. Research shows that learning by developing key relationships such as parent-child interactions may explain the emergence and maintenance of OC symptoms in adulthood. Baumrind identified three prototypes or styles of parental rights, including permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative, which differ in the two dimensions of discipline and behavior management. Permissive parents allow their children to do what they want with little discipline, while parents with authority to implement reasonable guidelines while still providing a warm and welcoming. The third style, authoritarian parents who represents the values is rigid and strict adherence to the rules with lower levels of parenting. To date, there has been no study of these styles of parenting and OCD symptoms. The research examined the relationship between styles of parenting, symptoms (OC) obsessive-compulsive and dysfunctional beliefs related to the OC (ie, "the obsessive belief") in a nonclinical sample (N = 227) . Participants completed measures of these constructs as well as a measure of general mood and anxiety symptoms. Results showed that authoritarian parenting style was significantly associated with both OC symptoms and OC beliefs

(e.g beliefs about the importance of thought and personal responsibility), even after controlling for general distress. The analysis also revealed that OC beliefs act as a partial mediator of the relationship between the style of parenting and OC symptoms. The results are discussed in light of the implications for future research, particularly concerning the risk for developing OCD and vulnerabilities.

 obsessions, compulsions, obsessive-compulsive style of parenting, authoritarian parents, dysfunctional attitudes

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts psychological recurrent and distressing images or impulses (obsessions) that cause anxiety and anxiety and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) performed to reduce this danger. Obsessions and compulsions can refer to various topics with the most common is the contamination, damage or injury, sex, religion, violence, and the order / symmetry (McKay et al., 2004).

Traditionally considered a rare disorder, the epidemiological findings now indicate that OCD has a prevalence of approximately 1.6% to 3.5% (Angst et al, 2004;. Kessler et al, 2005.). Research over the last decades has dramatically expanded our understanding of the phenomenology and treatment of OCD, but many mechanisms and factors involved in the genesis and maintenance of this disorder remains unknown. Biologically based research, including family and twin studies have provided evidence for the role of genetics in the development of OCD (van Grootheest, Cath, Beekman, and Boomsma, 2005, 2007; van Grootheest et al, 2008. .) What has also emerged from this research is that any number of environmental factors, or in connection with each other or as modulators of certain genotypes, may play an additional role in the etiology of OCD. With respect to specific environmental factors may be involved in the development of OCD, research has slowly begun to identify a number of variables that come into the broad category of psychosocial factors, including certain beliefs (Obsessive Compulsive Cognitions Working Group [ OCCWG], 2003), trauma (Cromer, Schmidt, and Murphy, 2007), and environmental agents such as bacterial infections (Swedo et al., 1998). This study focused on other possible factors: types of parenting.

Cognitive behavioral models of anxiety disorders, including OCD posit that social learning plays a central role in the development of these conditions (Manassis, Bradley, Goldberg, Hood, and Swinson, 1994, Vasey and Dadds, 2001). These models suggest that the family plays a crucial role in social learning in children and adolescents (Chorpita and Barlow, 1998).

Research has provided support for the relationship between changes in the family and the subsequent emergence of psychopathology (Stark, Humphrey, Crook, and Lewis, 1990). Within the general family environment, parent-child relationship is believed to provide the basis for social learning. In most families, parents not only "design" the basic structure of the family environment for their children, but also affect other opportunities for their children may have for other social learning outside the immediate family unit.

A large literature has investigated the role of parents has on child development. Two main factors or parenting dimensions have been identified, including heat / care and control of behavior. High levels of heat / aging parents show is focused on the child, accept and respond. High levels of behavioral control are indicative of the dictatorial and demanding parenting (Rapee, 1997).

Baumrind (1971) conducted laboratory-scale and naturalistic research focused on differences in styles of parenting and the two dimensions of warmth and control. Their work identified three prototypes of parental rights or permissive styles, authoritarian, and authoritative, which are characterized by high or low in the two dimensions of parenting. The permissive parenting style is high in the heat / care and under the control of behavior. This type of parenting allows children to do whatever they want with little discipline. Authoritarian parents are low in warmth and caring and very high in behavioral control, and represents parents who are rigid and the values of strict adherence to the rules with relatively less affection and care. Finally, the third style, authoritarian parenting is high on both dimensions. That is, parents with authority to enforce reasonable guidelines while still providing a warm and welcoming.