Introduction: MC is an internal feeling of contamination that arises without physical contact with a contaminated substance. The source of mental contamination is human, and contamination has a social/moral nature. Although cultural features can influence this experience, there was no empirical study in Greek culture.
Purpose: MC are mostly examined via surveys. However, qualitative work provides opportunity to investigate MC experiences in detail within a cultural context and further to contribute to psychological intervention practice.
Method: Eighty-five students from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki were recruited. Semi-structured qualitative interviews, lasting 25 minutes, were conducted with 38 students who reported MC. The interview questions are based cognitive-behavioral theory and for this study. Data analysis was performed using MAXQDA.
Results: Key themes included betrayal, shame, and guilt linked to social interactions and inner moral conflicts. Internal conflicts were strongly associated with MC experiences. Internal triggers such as thoughts and feelings were more frequently reported, with past traumatic memories as a common secondary trigger.
Almost half of participants reported to have MC with some emotions such as anxiety, sadness, anger, shame, and disgust. Anger and sadness were particularly linked to social betrayal, shame, and guilt, whereas others were more prevalent in internal conflicts. The coping methods for experiencing mental contamination were avoidance/distraction, emotion-focused coping, cognitive coping, and seeking social support, respectively. Self-critical thoughts dominated during MC episodes, with social support being a common coping mechanism. Frequent MC correlated with emotional instability and impaired daily functioning.
Conclusions: This is the first qualitative study of MC within the cognitive-behavioral therapy framework. Findings demonstrate that MC triggers, emotions, and thoughts vary by theme. Since MC affects psychosocial functioning even in a university sample, these insights can inform clinical practices as expected.