Profiles of emotional dimensions in obsessive-compulsive and related disorders

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Background Traditional diagnostic systems often fail to capture the dimensional nature and overlap of emotional disorder traits. The Multidimensional Emotional Disorder Inventory (MEDI) was developed to integrate dimensional and categorical approaches.Objective This study aimed to validate the MEDI in an analog sample of individuals with obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs).Method Two studies were conducted: Study 1 used Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) to evaluate the MEDI’s factor structure, and Study 2 employed Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to validate the model.Results ESEM supported a nine-factor, 41-item solution largely replicating the original MEDI. Internal consistencies were acceptable (ω = .77–.92). Females scored higher than males on neurotic temperament, positive temperament, autonomic arousal, social concerns, and ESEM-derived avoidance. Both OCD and OCRD groups scored significantly higher than controls on all nine factors. The OCD group scored lower than controls on ESEM-derived positive temperament, while OCRD and OCD groups differed only on depression, with OCRD higher. Social concerns differed by group in the original MEDI but not in the ESEM model.Conclusion These findings support MEDI’s construct validity and clinical utility in capturing transdiagnostic emotional disorder traits, highlighting its value for dimensional assessment and theory-building in OCRDs.