Framing the Narrative: The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Subclinical Obsessive- Compulsive Traits and Biased Memory Recall

DePamphilis, Gian

Framing the Narrative: The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Subclinical Obsessive- Compulsive Traits and Biased Memory Recall

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DePamphilis_Framing the Narrative The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Subclinical Obsessive-Compulsive Traits and Biased Memory Recall_Honors_Spring_2023_PDF_A.pdf (255.12 KB)

Date

2023-04-18

Authors

DePamphilis, Gian

Publisher

Honors Program, The University of Tampa

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a wide-spread change in human behavior. Implementation of novel hygienic behaviors to combat the spread of the virus has greatly reduced its proliferation; however, the negative consequences resulting from these actions remain unclear. Individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or those presenting with characteristics of OCD are subgroups who may be negatively affected by the emphasis on hygiene. An increase in media representation coverage of the pandemic may have also left thoughts of contamination and illness salient in individual’s memories, creating negative memory biases towards the pandemic and contamination. The current study explored the possible effects of media narratives related to the pandemic on subclinical OCD symptomology and biased memory recall in undergraduate students. Participants listened to pre-recorded narratives of a pandemic-related experience (positive, negative, or neutral themed) and were given 90 seconds to provide a 3-5 sentence response related to their own experiences during the pandemic. Additionally, participants took the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS; Abramowitz et al., 2010). There were no significant differences found in OCD-like symptomology or memory recall between the three narrative groups; however, on average, participants scored higher on the DOCS compared to past undergraduate student samples taken prior to the pandemic. While different themes related to the pandemic did not influence obsessive-compulsive symptomology or memory recall, evidence shows that subclinical OCD symptoms may be rising. The present study has implications for the negative consequences following a pandemic, and future studies may be necessary to explore current levels of obsessive-compulsive symptomology in the general population.

Description

Recommended citation: DePamphilis, Gian. “Framing the Narrative: The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Subclinical Obsessive- Compulsive Traits and Biased Memory Recall.” Honors Program, The University of Tampa, 2023. https://doi.org/10.48497/PFBF-T478.

Keywords

COVID-19, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Memory bias

Citation

DePamphilis, Gian. “Framing the Narrative: The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Subclinical Obsessive- Compulsive Traits and Biased Memory Recall.” Honors Program, The University of Tampa, 2023. https://doi.org/10.48497/PFBF-T478.