Manipulating feared self-perceptions in an analogue sample using virtual reality and its impact on harm-related intrusions and urges to neutralise

Abstract

Cognitive-behavioural theories of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have recently focused on the potential causal role of vulnerable self-themes, suggesting that the idea or fear of who one could be or become may specifically cause OCD symptoms, such as the occurrence of obsessions, obsessional distress, and repeated attempts to prevent one from becoming their feared self (i.e., compulsions). The current study tested the proposed causal relation between feared self-perceptions and OCD symptoms by manipulating them using a novel virtual reality-based paradigm. Undergraduate participants (N = 130) were randomly assigned to receive an experimental induction of feared self-perceptions or to a control condition. The fear-of-self condition, relative to the control condition, reported significantly higher levels of feared self-perceptions, and demonstrated a greater number of intrusions related to harm and a greater urge to suppress these on a behavioural measure of OCD symptoms. Exploratory analyses indicated that younger adults, who were expected to have more vulnerable self-concepts, experienced greater feared self-perceptions following the fear-of-self manipulation relative to control. Results provide preliminary evidence for the working model proposed in the Editorial of the current Special Issue in the Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders and tentatively support targeting these in cognitive-behavioural treatments.