Guilt in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Despite the phenomenological and theoretical importance of guilt in obsessive-compulsive disorder, research in this area has been conducted primarily on normal populations and has produced contradictory results. This study had two aims. First, to compare the guilt of subjects with obsessive-compulsive disorder (n = 30) to the guilt of normal controls (n = 30); second, to examine the relationships among guilt, anxiety, depression, and obsessions in an obsessional and normal population. Obsessional subjects reported significantly more trait guilt, state guilt, and higher moral standards than normal controls. In both populations, trait guilt significantly predicted obsessional compulsive complaints, independent of anxiety and depression. The results are considered in relation to the literature on inflated perceived responsibility for threat; the specific nature of obsessional guilt is discussed.