Introduction
Multiple models have been proposed to explain the etiology of this disorder. Among these, there are models that place special emphasis on considering the role of contextual factors such as family conditions, parent-child interactions, and life events (Purcell, 2002) in the development and maintenance of this disorder.
Several studies have examined the quality of early relationships of individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and have supported the existence of a significant relationship between experiences of parenting styles characterized by authoritarianism, criticism, emotional coldness, demandingness, and punitive measures, and an increased likelihood of developing OCD (Brander et al., 2016; Sudhir et al., 2021; Kaçan & Öztürk, 2023). However, fewer studies have addressed the pathways through which such influences occur. According to object relations theory, it can be suggested that adopting these approaches by parents may lead individuals to develop obsessive tendencies by impacting their self-representations. One of the constructs related to self-status that has garnered considerable attention in this context is "fear of self." Research has shown a positive and significant relationship between fear of self and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (Sauvageau et al., 2020; Llorens‐Aguilar et al., 2022; Jaeger et al., 2024). Additionally, studies have supported the role of experienced parenting in the development of fear of self (Doron, 2020; Abdel Tawab et al., 2024).
The review of the literature suggests the hypothesis that experienced parenting styles may contribute to the development of obsessive-compulsive symptoms through their impact on individuals' self-perceptions. To test this hypothesis, the present study was designed to examine the mediating role of fear of self in the relationship between perceived maternal parenting styles and symptoms of OCD.

Method
The methodology of the present research is descriptive and correlational, conducted using path analysis. The target population consisted of all adults over the age of 18, from which 300 individuals completed the questionnaires online. Data from 19 individuals were excluded due to incomplete responses, resulting in a final sample size of 281 participants. The instruments used in the research included the Parental Authority Questionnaire, the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, and the Fear of Self Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS-27 and Amos-24 software.

Results
The assumptions of path analysis, including the absence of significant outliers, normal distribution, detection of multicollinearity, and independence of errors or lack of autocorrelation, were all met, and there were no restrictions on conducting the path analysis. The results of the path analysis indicated a good fit for the proposed model. The findings showed that the indirect effect of the authoritarian parenting style of the mother on obsessive-compulsive symptoms was significant through the mediating role of fear of self. Therefore, it can be concluded that fear of self played a positive and significant mediating role in the relationship between maternal authoritarian parenting style and the level of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and according to the variance accounted for (VAF) statistic, mediation was complete.

Discussion
The findings indicated that the variable of fear of self plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between experienced authoritarian parenting style from mothers and the level of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in individuals. This means that individuals who perceived a more authoritarian parenting style from their mothers reported higher levels of fear of self, and consequently, greater obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
Finding can be explained by the notion that experiencing an authoritarian parenting style from the mother can influence an individual's self-perception and create a predisposition to obsessive behavior. More specifically, an authoritarian mother who imposes strict rules and standards communicates to her children that the only correct way to behave is according to these rules, and that any deviation from the established directives can have severe and dangerous consequences. By employing punitive methods to enforce obedience to these directives, she instills in her children the belief that if they act contrary to these commands and according to their own will and desires, they may be careless, inconsiderate, dangerous, unethical, and so on. These frightening beliefs and perceptions about the self can lead the individual toward obsessive tendencies. Such an individual may try to prevent the emergence of these frightening aspects of themselves by adhering to strict moral standards, practicing excessive care, and exhibiting extreme responsibility.