Fatma Mahperi ULUYOL
The European Research Journal - 2026;12(4):457-467
Objectives: Unwanted intrusive thoughts (UITs) are sudden, repetitive, ego-dystonic cognitions commonly observed across psychological disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders (EDs). Despite disorder-specific content, their shared features - such as intrusiveness and suppression urges - suggest a transdiagnostic cognitive function. Early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), as deep cognitive structures, may shape how individuals interpret and respond to UITs, thereby influencing symptom severity. While some EMSs broadly relate to psychopathology, others appear disorder-specific. However, studies jointly examining UITs and EMSs across OCD and EDs within the same sample remain scarce. This study aims to explore the transdiagnostic and disorder-specific roles of UITs and EMSs in relation to OCD and ED symptoms by analyzing their shared and distinct associations in a non-clinical sample.
