Type of Document	Thesis
Author	Cromer, Kiara Regina
URN	etd-11142005-155247
Title	A Pathoplastic Vulnerability Model: An Association Between Traumatic Stressful Life Events & OCD
Degree	Master of Science
Department	Psychology, Department of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Brad Schmidt Committee Chair Chris Schatschneider Committee Member Thomas Joiner Committee Member
Keywords	Vulnerability Model Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Traumatic Stress
Date of Defense	2005-08-01
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract Numerous studies have shown that throughout the human lifespan, stressful events influence the onset and course of mood and anxiety disorders. With regard to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), life-stress has been implicated as a factor in the onset of the disorder, as well as a trigger for symptom relapse. These investigations not withstanding, relatively few empirical studies have investigated the relationship between traumatic stressful life events and OCD within a pathoplastic vulnerability framework. The present study builds on the current literature by examining the potential relationships between stress and obsessive-compulsive symptomatology, including symptom severity, symptom dimensions, and psychological comorbidity. Participants included 200 outpatients from the Adult OCD Clinic at the National Institute of Mental Health. Data are generally supportive of a pathoplastic relationship between SLEs and OCD symptomatology. It was demonstrated that SLEs are linked with increased OCD symptom severity and increased mood and anxiety disorder comorbidity. Additional analyses revealed that SLEs are more strongly associated with specific symptom dimensions, including obsessions/checking and symmetry/ordering. The hoarding symptom dimension, as measured by the Saving Inventory-Revised, also demonstrated a relationship to SLEs. Implications of these findings and future directions are discussed.
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