Use of structural modeling to explain high school students obsessive beliefs based on symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, metacognitive beliefs, and self-esteem: The mediating role of inferential confusion

Introduction: Thoughts, impulses, or images that are distressing and intrusive characterize obsessive-compulsive disorder. On the other hand, obsessive beliefs are important in turning intrusive thoughts into obsessive thoughts. Aim: This study aimed to present a structural model to explain obsessive beliefs among high school students, based on the symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, metacognitive beliefs, and self-esteem, considering the mediating role of inferential confusion. Method: In this correlational study, the statistical population included all secondary high school students in Aligudarz, Lorestan Province, Iran, during the 2020-2021 academic years. A total of 300 individuals were selected using cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire (OBQ-44), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Metacognitions questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), Inferential Confusion Questionnaire-Expanded Version (ICQ-EV), and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling in SPSS-20 and AMOS-24. Results: The goodness of fit indices of the measurements model (x2/df=3.12, RMSEA=0.084) supported the good fitness of the model. Also, the goodness of fit indices of the structural model (x2/df=2.24, RMSEA=0.064) indicated the good fit of the model for the collected data. Conclusion: Based on the results, metacognitive beliefs, symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety, and self-esteem are among factors affecting obsessive beliefs; inferential confusion plays a mediating role in their association with obsessive beliefs. Therefore, elimination or moderation of contributing factors is essential for correcting obsessive-compulsive beliefs.