The connections between religiosity and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and the role of personality traits in a non-clinical Muslim sample

Abstract

This quantitative study was aimed at determining the nature of the relationship between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), measured by the Brief Obsessive-Compulsive Scale; and religiosity, measured on the Ok-Religious Attitude to Religion-Islam Scale; while checking for the role of personality traits, measured with the Big-Five Inventory. The survey was administered to a sample of 298 Muslim non-clinical participants aged 16–66 (mean age 26.40, sd = 10.6). The results confirmed the strong positive correlation between religiosity and OCD scores. While Neuroticism and Conscientiousness played a role in the prediction of the OCD score, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness accounted for a small portion of religiosity along with the OCD score. The present findings may contribute to the understanding of OCD and its treatment among mental health practitioners, and improve the practices of religious ministries and religious instructors.