Date of Award
5-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
Social Sciences
First Advisor
Graham, Steven
Area of Concentration
Liberal Arts
Abstract
This study explores how Christian communities and leaders influence the way individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), especially scrupulosity, understand their thoughts. Scrupulosity is a sub-type of OCD where people feel extreme anxiety about sin and their relationship with God. The individuals who struggle with this experience have intrusive thoughts that feel sinful, even when they are unwanted. Religious teachings and interpretations can either help this distress or make it worse unintentionally depending on how they are interpreted. To better understand this, I conducted an online survey of Christians, who I recruited through Reddit communities where people openly discuss faith and personal struggles. The study examined how interpretations of scripture, church environments, and interactions with Christian communities can influence individuals' experiences and lead to feelings of shame, guilt, anxiety, and scrupulosity. This survey asked participants about their interpretation of scripture, their experiences with intrusive thoughts, and how their church communities react to these aspects. Data was collected through an anonymous online survey consisting of demographic questions, Likert-scale responses, and open-ended free response questions. The goal of this study is to better understand how religious environments can support or harm individuals with OCD. Findings suggested that while many participants interpreted scripture in compassionate and flexible ways, some participants reported that certain religious interpretations intensified feelings of guilt, fear, and spiritual inadequacy.
Recommended Citation
Hill, Aaliyah, "How do Christian communities and leaders, through their interpretation of verses of scripture either ease or intensify the struggles of Christians with OCD?" (2026). Theses & ETDs. 7001.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/7001
Rights
The author has granted New College of Florida the nonexclusive right to archive, make accessible, and distribute for educational purposes this work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known on November 18, 2026. The copyright of this work remains with the author.