Stereotypes and OCD-Symptom Presentations: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation Using Male-Character Vignettes

Abstract

Stereotypes toward symptom presentations of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are poorly understood. A mixed-methods, multistudy analysis of OCD stigma was conducted. In Study 1 ( N = 60), participants read one of five vignettes (symmetry/just right, contamination, sexual, harm/aggression, scrupulous OCD) before responding to open-ended questions. Inductive content analyses revealed anxiety-relevant stereotypes (e.g., trivialization) for symmetry/just right and contamination and serious mental-illness stereotypes (e.g., dangerous) for harm/aggression and sexual vignettes. In Study 2 ( N = 698), participants read one of seven vignettes (OCD-symptom presentations, generalized anxiety disorder, schizophrenia) before responding to stigma measures. The sexual, harm/aggression, and schizophrenia vignettes were strongly associated with serious mental-illness stigma. The scrupulous vignette was associated with the most anxiety-relevant stigma. Together, these studies detail stereotype endorsement across OCD-symptom presentations. Stigma-reduction interventions should include psychoeducation and address macro-level stereotypes (i.e., stereotypes that exist across symptom presentations) while enhancing opportunities for contact to mitigate stigma.