Clinical Psychology: Research and Practice Innovations

Clinical Psychology: Research and Practice Innovations"

Components of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: A meta-synthesis

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammad Farhoush 1
Mahmood Najafi 2
1 Postdoctoral Student, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.
2 . Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.
10.22075/jcp.2025.38006.3222
Abstract
Background: Although obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is one of the most common personality disorders in the general population, there are few studies on its measurement and treatment due to its prevalence. One of the obstacles to research is the ambiguities and contradictions that exist about the main components and indicators of this disorder. Therefore, the aim of the current research is to determine the components and indicators of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder based on meta-synthesis and qualitative integration of past studies.
Method: According to the purpose of the research, scientific articles related to obsessive-compulsive personality disorder were collected and analyzed using the meta-synthesis method. The statistical population of this study included scientific articles related to obsessive-compulsive personality disorder in Persian and English. In order to increase the reliability of the results, only studies were selected that were indexed in the databases of SID, noormags, ensani, IranDoc, Google Scholar, Psychnet, and PubMed in the period (2006-2024). These researches were collected and obsessive personality syndromes were extracted and categorized by inductive qualitative content analysis method. Then the main components and characteristics were determined, and to evaluate their content validity, they were presented to 7 experts and confirmed.
Results: The meta-synthesis results showed that obsessive-compulsive personality disorder includes 4 main components of strictness and extreme precision, perfectionism, extreme order and organization, and inner affect, each of which includes 6 characteristics.
Conclusion: OCPD experts should target reduction of these four components in assessments and therapeutic interventions.
Keywords
obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
meta-synthesis
strictness and extreme accuracy
perfectionism
extreme order and organization
Subjects

 

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  2. Fu T, Lu X, Wang C, editors. Obsessive-compulsive Personality Disorder: Etiologies, Impacts, and Treatments. 2021 International Conference on Public Relations and Social Sciences (ICPRSS 2021); 2021: Atlantis Press. Doi:10.2991/assehr.k.211020.211
  3. Finch EF, Choi-Kain LW, Iliakis EA, Eisen JL, Pinto A. Good psychiatric management for obsessive–compulsive personality disorder. Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports. 2021:1-12. Doi:10.1007/s40473-021-00225-w
  4. Redden SA, Mueller NE, Cougle JR. The impact of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder in perfectionism. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice. 2023;27(1):18-24. Doi:10.1080/13651501.2022.2116634
  5. Mansur-Alves M, Machado GM, de Francisco Carvalho L. Obsessively perfectionist: a clinical cut-off for obsessive-compulsive personality using multidimensional perfectionism. Current Psychology. 2025:1-11. Doi:10.1007/s12144-023-04390-x
  6. Dondu A, Sevincok L. Clinical characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder comorbid with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: subtype implications. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2025;16:1577042. Doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1577042
  7. Jonáš J, Heissler R, Doubková N, Preiss M. How neuroticism affects prejudical attitudes and social distance. European Psychiatry. 2021;64(S1):S441-S2. Doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1180
  8. association. Ap. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th Ed.). Washington, DC, US2013. Doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
  9. Żerdziński M, Burdzik M, Dębski P, Żmuda R, Piegza M, Gorczyca P. The impact of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder on obsessive-compulsive disorder: clinical outcomes in the context of bipolarity. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2025;16:1532966. Doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1532966
  10. khosravi z, shahisadrabadi f, rahmatinejad p. The Relationship between obsessive compulsive disorder and personality obsessive compulsive: the evaluation of Categorical and Dimensional approaches in Conceptualization of spectrum obsessive compulsive disorders. Thoughts and Behavior in Clinical Psychology. 2018;49(13):7-16. Doi:10.52547/irjps.13.1.7
  11. Marincowitz C, Lochner C, Stein DJ. The neurobiology of obsessive–compulsive personality disorder: a systematic review. CNS spectrums. 2022;27(6):664-75. Doi:10.1017/S1092852922000016
  12. Mancebo MC, Eisen JL, Grant JE, Rasmussen SA. Obsessive compulsive personality disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder: clinical characteristics, diagnostic difficulties, and treatment. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry. 2005;17(4):197-204. Doi:10.1080/10401230500295354
  13. Pozza A, Starcevic V, Ferretti F, Pedani C, Crispino R, Governi G, et al. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder co-occurring in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Harvard Review of Psychiatry. 2021;29(2):95-107. Doi:10.1097/HRP.0000000000000284
  14. Besharat MA, hosseini sa, Jahed H. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder and Perfectionism: A brief review. Thoughts and Behavior in Clinical Psychology. 2019;51(14):77-88. Doi:10.52547/irjps.14.2.77
  15. Starcevic V, Brakoulias V. New diagnostic perspectives on obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and its links with other conditions. Current opinion in psychiatry. 2014;27(1):62-7. Doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000030
  16. Seretis D, Hart CM, Maguire T. Validity of a Revised Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) Trait Profile and Its Relationship with Social Interaction Anxiety and Coping. Journal of Personality Assessment. 2023;105(5):647-56. Doi:10.1080/00223891.2023.2208608
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  18. Abramovitch A, Abramowitz JS, McKay D. The OCI-12: A syndromally valid modification of the obsessive-compulsive inventory-revised. Psychiatry research. 2021;298:113808. Doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113808
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  20. Davoudi M, Pourshahbaz A, Dolatshahi B, Astaneh AN. A Network Analysis Study to evaluate obsessive-compulsive Beliefs/Dimensions and personality beliefs in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): a cross-sectional study in two common OCD subtypes. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry. 2024;19(1):30. Doi:10.18502/ijps.v19i1.14341
  21. Samuel DB, Widiger TA. A comparison of obsessive–compulsive personality disorder scales. Journal of personality assessment. 2010;92(3):232-40. Doi:10.1080/00223891003670182
  22. Taghavizade Ardakani M, Akbari B, Hossein Khanzade AA, Moshkbide Haghighi M. Comparing the Effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on the Perfectionism of Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Internal Medicine Today. 2019;26(1):24-37. Doi:10.32598/hms.26.1.3093.1
  23. Pinto A, Dargani N, Wheaton MG, Cervoni C, Rees CS, Egan SJ. Perfectionism in obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders: What should treating clinicians know? Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and related disorders. 2017;12:102-8. Doi:10.1016/j.jocrd.2017.01.001
  24. Montazeri M, Neshatdoost H, Abedi M, Abedi A. Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on Symptoms Intensify Reduction and Depression in a Patient with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder: A Single Case Study. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2013;5(1):35-45. Doi:10.22075/jcp.2017.2114
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  28. Pinto A, Teller J, Wheaton MG. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: a review of symptomatology, impact on functioning, and treatment. Focus. 2022;20(4):389-96. Doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20220051
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    2. Fu T, Lu X, Wang C, editors. Obsessive-compulsive Personality Disorder: Etiologies, Impacts, and Treatments. 2021 International Conference on Public Relations and Social Sciences (ICPRSS 2021); 2021: Atlantis Press. Doi:10.2991/assehr.k.211020.211
    3. Finch EF, Choi-Kain LW, Iliakis EA, Eisen JL, Pinto A. Good psychiatric management for obsessive–compulsive personality disorder. Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports. 2021:1-12. Doi:10.1007/s40473-021-00225-w
    4. Redden SA, Mueller NE, Cougle JR. The impact of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder in perfectionism. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice. 2023;27(1):18-24. Doi:10.1080/13651501.2022.2116634
    5. Mansur-Alves M, Machado GM, de Francisco Carvalho L. Obsessively perfectionist: a clinical cut-off for obsessive-compulsive personality using multidimensional perfectionism. Current Psychology. 2025:1-11. Doi:10.1007/s12144-023-04390-x
    6. Dondu A, Sevincok L. Clinical characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder comorbid with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: subtype implications. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2025;16:1577042. Doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1577042
    7. Jonáš J, Heissler R, Doubková N, Preiss M. How neuroticism affects prejudical attitudes and social distance. European Psychiatry. 2021;64(S1):S441-S2. Doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1180
    8. association. Ap. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th Ed.). Washington, DC, US2013. Doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
    9. Żerdziński M, Burdzik M, Dębski P, Żmuda R, Piegza M, Gorczyca P. The impact of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder on obsessive-compulsive disorder: clinical outcomes in the context of bipolarity. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2025;16:1532966. Doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1532966
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    11. Marincowitz C, Lochner C, Stein DJ. The neurobiology of obsessive–compulsive personality disorder: a systematic review. CNS spectrums. 2022;27(6):664-75. Doi:10.1017/S1092852922000016
    12. Mancebo MC, Eisen JL, Grant JE, Rasmussen SA. Obsessive compulsive personality disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder: clinical characteristics, diagnostic difficulties, and treatment. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry. 2005;17(4):197-204. Doi:10.1080/10401230500295354
    13. Pozza A, Starcevic V, Ferretti F, Pedani C, Crispino R, Governi G, et al. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder co-occurring in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Harvard Review of Psychiatry. 2021;29(2):95-107. Doi:10.1097/HRP.0000000000000284
    14. Besharat MA, hosseini sa, Jahed H. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder and Perfectionism: A brief review. Thoughts and Behavior in Clinical Psychology. 2019;51(14):77-88. Doi:10.52547/irjps.14.2.77
    15. Starcevic V, Brakoulias V. New diagnostic perspectives on obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and its links with other conditions. Current opinion in psychiatry. 2014;27(1):62-7. Doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000030
    16. Seretis D, Hart CM, Maguire T. Validity of a Revised Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) Trait Profile and Its Relationship with Social Interaction Anxiety and Coping. Journal of Personality Assessment. 2023;105(5):647-56. Doi:10.1080/00223891.2023.2208608
    17. Gibb GDB, J ‚ R; Best, R.H & Lambirth,T.T. The measurement of the Obsessive-Compulsive Personality. Educational and Psychologyical Measurment 1983(43):1233-7. Doi:10.1177/001316448304300422
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    19. Martukovich R. A reexamination of the Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Questionnaire reliability and validity in a college student sample: Cleveland State University; 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1273867143
    20. Davoudi M, Pourshahbaz A, Dolatshahi B, Astaneh AN. A Network Analysis Study to evaluate obsessive-compulsive Beliefs/Dimensions and personality beliefs in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): a cross-sectional study in two common OCD subtypes. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry. 2024;19(1):30. Doi:10.18502/ijps.v19i1.14341
    21. Samuel DB, Widiger TA. A comparison of obsessive–compulsive personality disorder scales. Journal of personality assessment. 2010;92(3):232-40. Doi:10.1080/00223891003670182
    22. Taghavizade Ardakani M, Akbari B, Hossein Khanzade AA, Moshkbide Haghighi M. Comparing the Effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on the Perfectionism of Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Internal Medicine Today. 2019;26(1):24-37. Doi:10.32598/hms.26.1.3093.1
    23. Pinto A, Dargani N, Wheaton MG, Cervoni C, Rees CS, Egan SJ. Perfectionism in obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders: What should treating clinicians know? Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and related disorders. 2017;12:102-8. Doi:10.1016/j.jocrd.2017.01.001
    24. Montazeri M, Neshatdoost H, Abedi M, Abedi A. Effectiveness of Schema Therapy on Symptoms Intensify Reduction and Depression in a Patient with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder: A Single Case Study. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2013;5(1):35-45. Doi:10.22075/jcp.2017.2114
    25. Sandelowski M, & Barroso, J. Handbook for synthesizing qualitative research: springer publishing company; 2006. Doi:10.1891/9780826156957
    26. Paladin L. Classification of personality disorders: categorical vs dimensional approach. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Split Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences). 2024. https://repozitorij.ffst.unist.hr/en/islandora/object/ffst%3A4710
    27. Hershberger JM, Lewis, T. F., & Zimmerman, I. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a Conceptual Treatment Model for Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder. Journal of Mental Health Counseling. 2024;3(46):188-212. DOI:10.17744/mehc.46.3.02
    28. Pinto A, Teller J, Wheaton MG. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: a review of symptomatology, impact on functioning, and treatment. Focus. 2022;20(4):389-96. Doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20220051
    29. Maxim DA, Nireștean, T., SimaComaniciu, A., & Grebenișan, L. M. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and the marital role. Psihiatru. ro. 2024; 3(77). https://openurl.ebsco.com/EPDB%3Agcd%3A4%3A9500804/detailv2?sid=ebsco%3Aplink%3Ascholar&id=ebsco%3Agcd%3A180222409&crl=c&link_origin=scholar.google.com

  • Receive Date 22 June 2025
  • Revise Date 31 August 2025
  • Accept Date 24 September 2025
  • First Publish Date 21 March 2026
  • Publish Date 21 March 2026