An Examination of Response Inhibition Deficits in Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

Abstract

Response inhibition (RI; the ability to inhibit a pre-potent response) has been proposed as a cognitive vulnerability underlying a wide variety of psychological disorders. In particular, RI deficits have been proposed as an underlying factor in obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs) given that they are characterized by largely involuntary and compulsive behaviors. While some OCRDs have been examined alongside RI capabilities, others have not. Further, the current body of literature has a paucity of work examining the three subprocesses of RI (cancellation, withdrawal, and interference control) as they relate to these symptoms. The present study assessed OCRD symptoms and the three RI subprocesses through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform. An analogue sample completed self-report measures and three computerized cognitive tasks. Results suggest that RI deficits may not be associated with the severity of most OCRD symptoms, both in individuals reporting high and low symptoms. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.