When Good People Have Bad Thoughts: Religiosity and the Emotional Regulation of Guilt-Inducing Intrusive Thoughts

Abstract

This study investigated whether guilt associated with unwanted intrusive thoughts characterized the elevated obsessionality previously reported in highly religious individuals. Twenty-four high religious Christian and 55 low religious undergraduates completed self-report measures of religiosity, guilt, obsessionality, and negative cognitions. As hypothesized, the highly religious group reported significantly more generalized guilt, obsessionality, and guilt-related negative thoughts, but not more anxiety or depression. Importance of religion and generalized guilt were the only significant predictors of obsessionality in the total sample. Results suggest heightened generalized (trait) guilt plays an important role in the elevated obsessionality of highly religious. Based on the current measures, there was no evidence that guilt over uncontrollable intrusive thoughts played a role in the obsessionality of highly religious individuals.