The Effect of Obsessions on Depression: The Dual Mediation Effect of Thought Control Ability and Self-blame

Objectives The purpose of this study is to test the dual mediation effect of thought control ability and self-blame between obsessions and depression. Methods We have conducted the self-report questionnaire consisting of the Revised Obsessional Intrusions Inventory(ROII), the Thought Control Ability Questionnaire(TCAQ), the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire(DEQ), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale(CES-D). Through the online survey, we have collected data from 276 adults aged 18 or older. SPSS 26.0 is used to test the model. Results The results of analysis are the following. First, the frequency of obsessions is positively correlated with self-blame and depression, and the same relation holds between self-blame and depression. Thought control ability is negatively correlated with obsessions, self-blame and depression respectively. Second, both the simple mediation effects of thought control ability and self-blame are statistically significant. Third, the dual mediation effect of thought control ability and self-blame is significant. Conclusions Based on these results, we discuss the implication and limitations of this study and suggest several future directions.