Obsessive-compulsive disorder reinforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic is unquestionably impacting on the mental health of the population worldwide. Fear of contamination can both increase levels of stress in healthy individuals and intensify psychiatric symptoms in patients with pre-existing conditions, especially obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the imminent risk of contamination creates a logical need for self-surveillance and hygiene habits. However, this kind of information can have drastic implications for subjects with OCD, since cognitive distortions and compensatory strategies (cleansing rituals) are no longer irrational or oversized - rather, these ideas become legitimate and socially accepted, generating plausible validation for the intensification of compulsive cleaning rituals. Patients who presented remission of OCD symptoms would be more likely to have a relapse, and subclinical patients may scale up and ultimately be diagnosed with OCD due to the reinforcement of their habits, emotions and thoughts.

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and obsessive-compulsive disorder in adolescents: a population-based study

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) and disorder (OCD) among adolescents and to describe OCD characteristics according to gender. Methods: Participants were selected by cluster sampling at seven high-schools in southern Brazil. In the first stage, 2,323 students were screened for OCS; in the second stage, adolescents scoring ≥ 21 on the OCI-R scale were individually interviewed. OCD diagnosis was established using a semi-structured interview (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children: Present and Lifetime Version - K-SADS-PL). Results: The past-month estimated prevalence of OCS was 18.3%, and the point estimated prevalence of OCD, 3.3%. Girls showed higher scores (OCS: 24.8 vs. 14.4%; OCD: 4.9 vs. 1.4%; p < 0.001). Only 9.3% of OCD adolescents had been diagnosed and 6.7% received treatment. The most frequent/severe DY-BOCS dimensions were miscellaneous (86.7%; mean score 6.3±3.8) and symmetry (85.3%; 5.9±3.8). Female OCD adolescents predominantly showed depression (p = 0.032), and male adolescents, tic disorders (p = 0.006). Conclusions: OCD is underdiagnosed in adolescents, and few are treated. Future studies should investigate the relationship between OCS and the onset of OCD. .

Full remission and relapse of obsessive-compulsive symptoms after cognitive-behavioral group therapy: a two-year follow-up / Remissão completa e recaídas dos sintomas obsessivo-compulsivos depois da terapia cognitivo-comportamental em grupo: dois anos de acompanhamento

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess whether the results obtained with 12 sessions of cognitive-behavioral group therapy with obsessive-compulsive patients were maintained after two years, and whether the degree of symptom remission was associated with relapse. METHOD: Forty-two patients were followed. The severity of symptoms was measured at the end of cognitive-behavioral group therapy and at 18 and 24 months of follow-up. The assessment scales used were the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Clinical Global Impression, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory. RESULTS: The reduction in symptom severity observed at the end of treatment was maintained during the two-year follow-up period (F = 57.881; p < 0.001). At the end of the treatment, 9 (21.4 percent) patients presented full remission, 22 (52.4 percent) presented partial remission, and 11 (26.2 percent) had unchanged scores in the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale. After two years, 13 patients (31.0 percent) presented full remission, 20 (47.6 percent) had partial remission, and 9 (21.4 percent) had unchanged Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scalescores. The full remission of symptoms at the end of the treatment was a protective factor against relapse (χ2 = 4,962; df = 1; p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: Our findings underscore the importance of attaining full remission of obsessive-compulsive symptoms during treatment and the need for new therapeutic strategies to achieve this.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar se os resultados obtidos com 12 sessões de terapia cognitivo-comportamental em grupo para pacientes com transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo foram mantidos depois de dois anos do final do tratamento e se o grau de remissão dos sintomas esteve associado às recaídas. MÉTODO: Quarenta e dois pacientes foram acompanhados. A gravidade dos sintomas foi avaliada no final da terapia cognitivo-comportamental em grupo, 18 e 24 meses após o término do tratamento. As escalas utilizadas para avaliação foram Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Clinical Global Impression, Beck Depression Inventory e Beck Anxiety Inventory. RESULTADOS: A redução da gravidade dos sintomas observada no final do tratamento foi mantida durante o período de dois anos de acompanhamento (F = 57,881; p < 0,001). Ao final do tratamento, 9 (21,4 por cento) pacientes apresentaram remissão completa, 22 (52,4 por cento) remissão parcial e 11 (26,2 por cento) não apresentaram mudança na Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale. Dois anos depois, 13 pacientes (31,0 por cento) apresentaram remissão completa dos sintomas, 20 (47,6 por cento) apresentaram remissão parcial, e 9 (21,4 por cento) não apresentaram mudança na Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale. A remissão completa dos sintomas ao final do tratamento foi protetora contra recaídas (χ2 = 4,962; df = 1; p = 0,026). CONCLUSÃO: Nossos achados apontam para a importância da obtenção da remissão completa dos sintomas obsessivo-compulsivos e para a necessidade de novas estratégias terapêuticas que tenham como meta atingir tal objetivo.

Translation and adaptation into Brazilian Portuguese of the Family Accommodation Scale for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - interviewer-Rated (FAS-IR) / Tradução e adaptação para o português do Brasil da Escala de Acomodação Familiar - Pontuado pelo Entrevistador (FAS-IR)

OBJECTIVE: To describe the process of translation and adaptation into Brazilian Portuguese of the Family Accommodation Scale for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Interviewer-Rated (FAS-IR). METHOD: The process of translation and adaptation of the scale involved four bilingual health professionals. The scale was initially translated into Brazilian Portuguese independently by two professionals. Then, the two versions were compared, resulting in a preliminary Portuguese version that was administered to 15 relatives of patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with different education levels, deliberately chosen to collect language adjustment suggestions. Subsequently, the scale was translated back into English independently by two other professionals. After comparing the two back translations, a new English version was generated. This version was reviewed and approved by the authors of the original scale. RESULTS: The Brazilian Portuguese version of the FAS-IR proved to be easily understood and can be used in relatives of OCD patients from different socioeconomic backgrounds. CONCLUSION: Adaptation of the FAS-IR into Brazilian Portuguese will enable health professionals to assess the level of accommodation in relatives of OCD patients and allows the development of future studies aimed at 1) studying the influence of family accommodation on maintaining and possibly facilitating OCD symptoms, and 2) assessing the effect of family accommodation on treatment outcomes in Portuguese-speaking populations.

OBJETIVO: Descrever o processo de tradução e adaptação para o português do Brasil da Family Accommodation Scale for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Interviewer-Rated (FAS-IR). MÉTODO: O processo de tradução e adaptação da escala envolveu quatro profissionais de saúde bilíngues. A escala foi inicialmente traduzida de forma independente para o português do Brasil por dois profissionais. A seguir, as duas versões foram comparadas, resultando em uma versão inicial em português que foi aplicada a 15 familiares de pacientes com transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo (TOC), com diferentes níveis de instrução, deliberadamente escolhidos para coletar as sugestões de ajuste linguístico. Subsequentemente, a escala foi retrotraduzida independentemente por outros dois profissionais da saúde. Depois de comparar as duas retrotraduções, uma nova versão da escala foi gerada em inglês. Essa versão foi revisada e aprovada pelos autores da escala original. RESULTADOS: A versão em português do Brasil da escala FAS-IR mostrou ser facilmente compreendida e pode ser usada em familiares de pacientes com TOC de diferentes níveis socioeconômicos. CONCLUSÃO: A FAS-IR adaptada ao português do Brasil fará com que profissionais de saúde possam avaliar o nível de acomodação em familiares de pacientes com TOC e permitirá a realização de futuros estudos com os objetivos de 1) estudar a influência da acomodação familiar na manutenção e, possivelmente, na facilitação dos sintomas do TOC e 2) examinar o efeito da acomodação familiar sobre os resultados do tratamento em populações de países de língua portuguesa.

Qualidade de vida em indivíduos com transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo: revisão da literatura / Quality of life in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a review

OBJETIVO: O transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo acomete entre 1,6 a 3,1 por cento da população. Em virtude de uma maior compreensão do sofrimento associado aos sintomas, aumentaram os estudos e o interesse no bem-estar geral e na qualidade de vida dos portadores. MÉTODO: Foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica de trabalhos que investigaram a qualidade de vida em portadores de transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo. A busca foi feita nas bases de dados Medline, SciELO e PsychoInfo, utilizando como palavras-chave quality of life e obsessive-compulsive disorder. Foram selecionados 27 artigos que abordaram o tema, sendo descritas as áreas mais afetadas pelo transtorno, bem como a sua relação com a qualidade de vida foram descritas. Também foram apresentados efeitos de tratamentos na qualidade de vida dos pacientes. RESULTADOS: Os relacionamentos sociais e familiares, seguidos pelo desempenho ocupacional (capacidade para trabalhar e estudar), foram as áreas mais afetadas pelo transtorno e, apesar de melhorarem com tratamento, permanecem insatisfatórios. As obsessões foram associadas a prejuízos mais significativos na qualidade de vida do que as compulsões (rituais). CONCLUSÕES: Apesar das limitações, os estudos mostram evidências do comprometimento da qualidade de vida de indivíduos com transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo, sendo este comparável ao de pacientes com esquizofrenia. Pesquisas futuras com diferentes delineamentos são necessárias para estabelecer resultados mais consistentes.

OBJECTIVE: Obsessive-compulsive disorder affects between 1.6 and 3.1 percent of the population. Due to the distress caused by obsessive-compulsive disorder leading to disability as well as the prevalence of the disease, there has been an increase in the number of studies focusing on the general well-being of patients by assessing quality of life. METHOD: A literature review of the studies that investigated the quality of life of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder was performed. The search was carried out in the following database: Medline, SciELO and PsychoInfo, and the following key-words were used "quality of life" and "obsessive-compulsive disorder". Twenty-seven articles about the topic were selected. The results from this study describe the areas most severely affected by the disorder as well as the relationship between obsessive-compulsive disorder and quality of life. In addition, the effects of the treatment on the patients' quality of life are presented. RESULTS: The social and familial relationships and the occupational performance (capacity to work and study) were the areas most severely affected by the disorder, and, although there was an improvement with the treatment, these areas remain at a poor level of performance. The obsessions were associated with the most significant impairment of the quality of life if compared to the compulsions (rituals). CONCLUSIONS: Results from the selected studies suggest that obsessive-compulsive disorder patients have an impairment of quality of life. The level of impairment is similar to that of schizophrenic patients. Future studies with different designs are necessary so that more consistent results can be established.

Crenças disfuncionais e o modelo cognitivo-comportamental no transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo / Dysfunctional beliefs and cognitive-behavioral model in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Foi feita uma revisao das disfuncoes cognitivas mais comuns em portadores de transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo (TOC), bem como dos modelos cognitivo-comportamentais que incluem tais crencas em sua genese e sua manutencao. Foi observado um relativo consenso de que responsabilidade excessiva, exagerar a importancia dos pensamentos, preocupacao excessiva com seu controle, superestimar o perigo e o risco, intolerancia a incerteza e perfeccionismo sao...