(PS7-B45) Stigma of OCD Intrusive Thoughts in Mothers vs Fathers

Vignette research is a popular way to investigate attitudes towards individuals with psychological disorders, permitting excellent control in isolating variables.  The findings of the few vignette-based stigma studies available indicate sexual and violent unwanted intrusive thoughts (UITs) in OCD are more negatively evaluated than other forms of OCD (e.g., contamination). Of recent clinical and research interest is the understudied phenomenon of an acute onset of OCD in mothers and fathers following the birth of a child. Primary obsessions observed in postpartum OCD (ppOCD) are violent in content, but many parents also experience sexual intrusive thoughts. The primary aim of this vignette-based study was to examine and compare attitudes towards sexual and violent UITs in mothers and fathers following the birth of a child. It was expected pedophilic thoughts would be appraised more negatively than violent thoughts.  It was expected violent thoughts would be perceived more negatively in mothers than fathers while pedophilic thoughts would be perceived more negatively in fathers than in mothers.  Participants (N = 149) were randomly assigned to read 1 of 4 vignettes that varied only in terms of the parent (mother or father) and the type of UIT (violent or sexual).  Participants also completed measure of stigma – the Social Distance Scale – and Perceived Dangerousness. To test the hypotheses of the study, two 2 (Parent: Mother or Father) x 2 (UIT: pedophilic and infanticidal) factorial ANOVAs was conducted, one for social distance and another for perceived dangerousness. For social distance, the Parent x Thought Type interaction was significant, F(1,143) = 3.84, p = 0.05, η2 = .026. More social distance was desired from fathers with pedophilic thoughts (M = 16.74, SD = 3.17) than fathers with violent thoughts (M = 13.84, SD = 4.61), F(1,72) = 7.77, p = 0.007, η2 = 0.10. When the target in the vignette was a mother, there was no significant difference in Social Distance based on UIT.   No findings emerged for Perceived Dangerousness.  Results and lack of findings will be discussed in terms of extant stigma research and also cognitive theories of OCD.