OCD symptoms in a sample of Turkish patients: a phenomenological picture

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and the possible association between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and culture-related characteristics in a sample of Turkish patients with OCD. We studied 141 patients with OCD (according to DSM-IV criteria) consecutively admitted to our outpatient clinic during the period from February 1998 to December 2003. We used the Turkish version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) to interview all patients, and the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) to assess obsessive-compulsive symptoms and severity. The onset of OCD symptoms was earlier in males. Major depression was the most common comorbid disorder (30.5%). The most commonly occurring obsessions were contamination (56.7%), aggression (48.9%), and somatic (24.1%), followed by religious (19.9%), symmetry (18.4%), and sexual imagery (15.6%). Symmetry and sexual obsessions, and checking compulsions and rituals, tended to be more common in male patients. Dirt and contamination obsessions and washing compulsions were slightly more common in females. The vast majority of patients with religious obsessions (83%) and half of the patients with sexual obsessions had compulsions that included religious practices. Also, patients with sexual and religious obsessions had delayed seeking professional help.

Gender differences in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a literature review

“…46 According to some authors, more women present co-occurring major depressive disorder. 6,23,33 On the other hand, several studies found no gender differences regarding major depression comorbidity, which is the most common Axis I disorder in both genders. 21,22,24,25,37,47 In an Italian study, 19 men presented more social phobia, tic disorders, and hypomania episodes.…”

“…Torresan et al 25 described earlier age of symptom interference among Brazilian men, who were also more likely than women to be single, which is consistent with findings from other countries. 18,23,34 Several other authors have also described that women with OCD are more frequently married than men. 14,22-24 Matsunaga et al, 34 evaluating 94 Japanese patients, found higher social interference of OCS among men, whereas women more frequently involved family members in their rituals.…”

“…Women are more prone to contamination obsessions, 22 usually associated with cleaning rituals; 6,19,23,24 whereas sexual obsessions are more common among men. 19,22,23,35 Several studies combine rates of sexual and religious symptoms, which are more frequent in males. 6,24,36 Results are inconclusive regarding aggressive obsessions, with studies showing varying predominance between genders.…”

“…6,24,36 Results are inconclusive regarding aggressive obsessions, with studies showing varying predominance between genders. 22,36,37 In male, symmetry obsessions would be more common, 23,24,38 as well as ordering, 36,38 repeating, 19 checking, 23 and hoarding compulsions. 39,40,41 Torresan et al 25 found among Brazilian men more sexual, religious, and symmetry obsessions, as well as more mental rituals.…”

Obsesif Kompulsif Bozukluk Tanılı Hastaların Cinsiyet Farklılığı Açısından Değerlendirilmesi

“…Çocukluk çağında erkeklerde daha fazla görülürken, erişkin dönemde kadın erkek oranının yaklaşık olarak aynı olduğu ya da kadınlarda daha fazla görüldüğü bildirilmiştir 7,8 . Yazında kadınlarda en sık eşlik eden psikiyatrik eştanılar majör depresyon, yeme bozuklukları, dürtü kontrol bozuklukları iken, erkeklerde sosyal fobi, tik bozuklukları, madde kullanım bozukluklarıydı 9,11,[13][14][15][16][17]19 . Yaptığımız araştırmada ise cinsiyetler arasında psikiyatrik eştanı açısından istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık bulunamamıştır.…”