(PS7-29) The Role of Scrupulosity in Mental Contamination: The Moderating effect of Feared Self

Abstract Text: Mental contamination (MC) refers to feelings of internal impurity triggered by thoughts, images, or memories that conflict with personal values. Unlike contact contamination, which stems from external sources, MC is deeply tied to moral and cognitive factors. Scrupulosity, characterized by excessive concerns about moral or religious exactness, involves persistent doubts about sin, fear of divine punishment, and rigid adherence to moral codes. These tendencies may lead individuals to interpret intrusive thoughts as morally significant, increasing MC. Additionally, concerns about one's capacity for immoral actions (feared self) can intensify negative self-appraisals and amplify scrupulosity’s role in MC. This study examined how feared self manipulation influences the association between scrupulosity and MC.

The sample included 97 undergraduates from a southeastern university in USA. Participants completed self-report measures: the Penn Inventory of Scrupulosity (PIOS) and Fear of Self Questionnaire (FOSQ). They were then randomly assigned to either a "feared self" manipulation or control group. The feared self-group received feedback suggesting a tendency for impulsive actions conflicting with their values, while the control group was told their results showed no significant traits. Participants completed the Baseline Rating Form and FOSQ for a second time. Next, they listened to a non-consensual kissing scenario (perpetrator role), imagined themselves in the situation, and completed the Mental Contamination Report to assess the degree of MC. After a five-minute break, they filled out the Break Behavior Form and a final BRF.

After excluding participants who doubted the personality feedback, the final sample comprised 41 (82.1% female, age M [‬SD] = 18.69[‬0.86]) in the control group and 38 (86% female, M [SD] = 18.77[‬0.92]) in the feared self-group. A 2 (Group: Feared Self vs. Control) × 2 (Time: Time1 vs. Time2) repeated-measures MANOVA assessed the manipulation's effectiveness, with FOSQ and negative emotions as dependent variables. Significant main effects of time (F [‬1, 68] = 52.63, p < .001, η² = .44) and interaction effects (F [‬ 1, 68] = 30.22, p < .001, η² = .31) indicated higher FOSQ scores at Time2 in the feared self-group. Similarly, negative emotions increased significantly in this group (F [‬ 1, 95] = 19.93, p < .001, η² = .17). A moderation analysis (PROCESS Model 1) showed that group moderated the PIOS–MC relationship (F [‬ 3, 89] = 3.91, p < .05, R² = .12]. The interaction term was significant (B = 17.53, p < .01), with simple slopes analysis revealing that PIOS predicted MC only in the feared self-group (B = 15.05, p < .01).This finding supports the hypothesis that feared self-moderates the relationship between scrupulosity and MC, with the effect being more pronounced in the feared self-group.

The study suggests that self-directed fear is closely linked to mental contamination, reinforcing the connection between scrupulosity and MC. Clinical interventions may benefit from targeting fears related to the self and scrupulosity. However, limitations include the use of a non-clinical sample, a predominance of female participants, and a Western context, which may not fully capture cultural and religious influences.