The Relation Between Cognitive Inflexibility and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Traits in Adults: Depression and Anxiety as Potential Mediators

The current study quantitatively examined the relation between cognitive inflexibility and obsessive-compulsive personality traits and also examined whether depression and anxiety were mediators of that relation. A total of 56 individuals, ages 18 to 40, participated in the study and were recruited from the undergraduate and graduate student body of The University of Southern Mississippi as well as other participants from the University community. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on measures of cognitive inflexibility (Cognitive Flexibility Scale; CFS), depression and anxiety (Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale; DASS), and obsessivecompulsive personality traits (Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire; PDQ-4). It was hypothesized that cognitive inflexibility would relate to obsessive-compulsive personality traits (OCPT). Furthermore, it was predicted that anxiety symptoms (separate from those symptoms that are more core to OCPT) would fully mediate this relation. It was also expected that depression symptoms would at least partially mediate the relation between cognitive inflexibility and OCPT. Although the hypotheses were not fully supported, interesting relations (in the predicted directions) among variables did emerge. Cognitive inflexibility was related to anxiety and depression, the latter of which was further linked to OCPT. However, the full mediational model was not supported. The findings from the current study add to the current literature and have both theoretical and practical implications.