Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Psychiatry 1735-4587 9 2 2014 06 15 69 75 Mehri Moradi Department of Psychology, Roozbeh hospital, Tehran University of medical sciences, Tehran, Iran Ladan Fata Education Development Center (EDC), Iran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services (IUMS) Ali Ahmadi Abhari Psychiatry and Psychology Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Roozbeh hospital, Tehran, Iran Imaneh Abbasi University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2015 10 14 Objective: Attention is an important factor in information processing; obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are two main emotional disorders with a chronic course. This research examined the relationship among attentional control and intrusive thoughts (worry, rumination and obsession) in these disorders. It was hypothesized that attentional control is a common factor in OCD and GAD. In addition, we compared worry, rumination and obsession among OCD, GAD and non- clinical participants . Method: The research sample included three groups: OCD (n = 25), GAD (n = 30) and non- clinical samples (n = 56). Data were collected using the Attentional Control Scale (ACS), Rumination Response Scale (RRS), Pennsylvania State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Data were analyzed using MANOVA and MANCOVA by SPSS-17 . Result: Multivariate Analy is of Variance revealed that the OCD and GAD groups reported greater deficits in attentional control, higher obsessive-compulsive symptoms, rumination, worry, anxiety and depression compared to the control group. Conclusion: This research indicated a great attentional deficit in obsessive- compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. However, no significant difference was found between these two disorders. https://ijps.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijps/article/view/116 https://ijps.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijps/article/download/116/112