The Role of Behavioral Activation-Inhibition, Impulsivity and Alexithymia in Discriminating Students with Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive and Paranoid Personality Disorders from Normal Controls

Background and Aims: The purpose of the study was to examine the role of behavioral activation-inhibition, impulsivityand alexithymia in discriminating students with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive and paranoid personality disorders from normal controls. Methods: The studied sample includes all the students in University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran, in 2011 (n = 8344). At the first stage, to identify the students with obsessive-compulsive and paranoid personality disorders, 368 students were selected through simple random sampling method and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III was completed for them. In the second stage, 25 students were selected for each group and the Gray-Wilson Personality Questionnaire, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale were completed by them. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and discriminant analysis. Results: Behavioral activation-inhibition, impulsivity and alexithymia played significant role in discriminating students with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive and paranoid personality disorders and had the potential to predict the changes concerned with obsessive-compulsive and paranoid personality disorders. Conclusion: It seems that attention to and evaluation of the roles of behavioral activation-inhibition, impulsivity and alexithymia as effective factors in obsessive-compulsive and paranoid personality disorders is necessary.