Understanding Scrupulosity in the Context of Adverse Religious Experiences and Religious Trauma

Scrupulosity, a subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), is characterized by

persistent moral or religious doubts, compulsive reassurance-seeking, and excessive

attempts to achieve certainty about one’s moral standing. While evidence-based

treatment for scrupulosity includes exposure and response prevention (ERP), some

clients present with histories of religiously motivated abuse, coercion, or fear-based

conditioning that complicate treatment. When these experiences reinforce intolerance of