(PS7-C55) The Role of Academic Stress on Safety Seeking Behaviors Beyond Obsessive-compulsive Symptoms

The Role of Academic Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Safety Seeking Behaviors Beyond Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms

Ashlyn R. Suchand, B.S.¹, Ariana E. Milner, B.S. ¹, Anita R. Saha, B.S. ¹, M.S.,

Bella L. Patterson¹, & Michael J. McDermott, Ph.D. ¹

¹University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Safety Seeking Behavior (SSB) refers to behaviors completed to create feelings of safety in the presence of a perceived threat, even if no threat is present (Salkovskis, 1991). The use of SSBs is common in many disorders including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; Salkovskis, 1989). OC symptoms are well known factors that contribute to the use and maintenance of SSB; however, research is limited on other factors that may contribute to use and maintenance of SSB. One such factor may be academic stress. The COVID-19 pandemic caused elevated levels of academic stress (Clabaugh, Duque, & Fields 2021), but research is limited on how these elevated levels of academic stress may affect the use and maintenance of SSB. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the effects of academic stress on SSB beyond OC symptoms.

As part of a larger study, 262 university students (76.7% female; 21.4% Black; M_age = 19.15) completed self-report assessments designed to measure SSB (Safety Behavior Assessment Form; Goodson et al., 2016), OC symptoms (Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale; Abramowitz et al., 2010), and academic stress (Student Academic Stress Scale; Sun et al., 2011).  

A hierarchical linear regression demonstrated that OC symptoms (ß =.48, p < .001) significantly predicted SSBs in the first step of the model (R² =.23, F(1, 248) = 73.75, p < .001). Academic stress (ß =.24, p < .001) was added in the second step of the model and significantly predicted SSBs beyond OC symptoms (DR² = .044,  DF(1,247) = 15.078, p < .001). An interaction variable between OC symptoms and academic stress (ß = -.75, p = .010) was added in the third step of the model and significantly predicted SSBs (DR² = .019,  DF(1,246) = 6.733, p < .001) demonstrating a moderating effect of academic stress on the relation between OC symptoms and SSBs such that as academic stress increased, the relationship between OC symptoms and safety behaviors became weaker. The overall model significantly predicted SSBs (total R² = .28, F(3, 246) = 33.97, p < .001).  

Findings demonstrate that OC symptoms predicted SSB. As well, academic stress predicted SSB. Findings also demonstrate that academic stress moderated the relation between OC symptoms and safety behaviors such that OC symptoms were associated with greater safety behaviors for students who reported lower academic stress. However, OC symptoms were less relevant in safety behaviors among those who reported high academic stress.