Mediation effect of fear of coronavirus and stress intensity on the association between anxiety sensitivity and the intensity of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms

Cilj ovog longitudinalnog istraživanja bio je ispitati prospektivnu i prediktivnu ulogu anksiozne osjetljivosti na intenzitet simptoma opsesivno-kompulzivnog poremećaja (OKP) u kontekstu doživljenog stresa i straha od koronavirusa kao medijatora te povezanosti. Istraživanje je provedeno metodom online anketiranja. U istraživanju su sudjelovale 144 osobe, od kojih 85% ženskog roda. Sudionici/e su popunjavali kratki demografski upitnik, upitnik o broju i intenzitetu doživljenih stresora tijekom pandemije koronavirusa, ASI, MAC_RF te DOCS_SF. Rezultati su pokazali da su anksiozne osjetljivost 2014., strah od koronavirusa i intenzitet stresa u značajnim korelacijama s intenzitetom simptoma OKP-a. Drugim riječima, osobe koje su imale veće razine anksiozna osjetljivosti i straha od koronavirusa te jači intenzitet stresa, imale su i izraženije simptome OKP-a. Uz to su u značajnim korelacijama s intenzitetom simptoma OKP-a bili i partnerski i roditeljski status, pri čemu su osobe koje su u vezi i/ili koje imaju djecu imale manji intenzitet simptoma OKP-a. Anksiozna osjetljivosti mjerena 2014., strah od koronavirusa i roditeljski status pokazali su se značajnim prediktorima intenziteta simptoma OKP-a. Ukupno je objašnjeno 30% varijance kriterija. Strah od koronavirusa se pokazao kao značajan medijator povezanosti anksiozne osjetljivosti prije 7 godina i intenziteta simptoma OKP-a, dok se, suprotno očekivanjima, intenzitet stresa nije pokazao kao značajan medijator.The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the prospective and predictive role of anxiety sensitivity to the intensity of obsessive-compulsive (OCD) symptoms in the context of experienced stress and fear of coronavirus as a mediator of this association. The research was conducted using online survey. The study involved 144 people (85% women). Participants completed a short demographic questionnaire, a questionnaire on the number and intensity of stress experiences during coronaviru, ASI, MAC_RF, and DOCS_SF. The results showed that anxiety sensitivity from 2014, fear of coronavirus and intensity of stress were in significant positive correlations with the intensity of OCD symptoms. In other words, people who had higher levels of anxiety sensitivity and fear of coronavirus and a stronger intensity of stress also had more pronounced symptoms of OCD. Moreover, marital and parental status were significantly correlated with the intensity of OCD symptoms, with people in a relationship and/or with children having lower intensity of OCD symptoms. Anxiety sensitivity measured in 2014, fear of coronavirus and parental status have been shown to be significant predictors of the intensity of OCD symptoms. In total, about 30% of the variance of the criteria was explained. Fear of coronavirus has been shown to be a significant mediator of the association between anxiety sensitivity 7 years ago and the intensity of OCD symptoms, while stress intensity has not been shown to be a significant mediator