Preliminary study on the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Disgust Propensity and Sensitivity Scale-Revised (DPSS-R) in non-clinical and clinical samples with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Anxiety Disorders
Andrea Pozza, Gian Paolo Mazzoni, Davide Berardi, Davide Dèttore
The Disgust Propensity and Sensitivity Scale-Revised (DPSS-R) measures Disgust propensity and Disgust
sensitivity, two dimensions involved in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Anxiety Disorders
(AD). Validated measures in Italy assess only disgust propensity but not the second dimension.
The study presents the psychometric properties of the Italian DPSS-R. Factor structure, reliability,
convergent/divergent validity with anxiety, depression, disgust, OCD symptoms and beliefs,
criterion-related validity between patients with OCD, with AD and controls. Eight hundred and four
participants from the general population, 31 patients with OCD and 35 with AD completed the
DPSS-R. Factor analyses evidenced three factors: Disgust Propensity (general tendency to experience
disgust), Interoceptive intolerance (negative appraisal of gastrointestinal/vasovagal signals of
disgust), and Self-focused/ruminative disgust (negative appraisal of social and moral connotations
of disgust). Moderate correlations were found between Propensity and disgust, between Propensity
and Interoceptive intolerance and Contamination OCD symptoms and Responsibility beliefs for harm.
Patients with OCD had higher scores than those with AD and controls on Self-focused/ruminative
disgust.
Clinical implications are discussed. Studies are required comparing DPSS-R scores between patients
with contamination-based OCD, with OCD without contamination and those with Specific Phobias.
Keywords
Disgust Propensity, Disgust Sensitivity, DPSS-R, Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder, Psychometric Properties.
