Effects of Relationship-Centered Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms and Difficulty in Emotion Regulation on Psychological Well-Being in Young Adults

Abstract

This study aims to examine the relationships between emotion regulation difficulties, relationship-centered obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and psychological well-being. The study's second objective is to investigate the mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties in the relationship between relationship-centered obsessive-compulsive symptoms and psychological well-being. The participants comprised 191 individuals (152 females and 39 males) aged 18 to 25 (M=21.96, SD=1.78) who lived in Turkey and had been in a romantic relationship for at least one month between 2021 and 2022. In the study, participants were administered a Personal Information Form, the Short Form of the Emotion Regulation Difficulties Scale, the Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Inventory, and the Multidimensional Psychological Well-Being Scale. The results indicate a significant positive relationship between relationship-centered obsessive-compulsive symptoms and emotion regulation difficulties. Moreover, a significant negative relationship was found between emotion regulation difficulties and relationship-centered obsessive-compulsive symptoms and psychological well-being. Additionally, the variables were found to significantly predict psychological well-being in a negative direction, explaining 22% of the variance. According to the mediation analysis, emotion regulation difficulties play a partial mediating role in the relationship between relationship-centered obsessive-compulsive symptoms and psychological well-being. This study is expected to contribute to understanding the etiology and treatment of romantic relationship-centered obsessive-compulsive disorder.