[Frequency of patterns of obsessive - compulsive symptoms]

ABSTRACT

Since the obsessive compulsive symptoms have cultural themes, understanding their frequency and variety in our society can help with more diagnosing it more precisely and setting clearer therapeutic goals. In a cross-sectional research, 61 patients with obsessive - compulsive disorder [23 males, 38 females] were selected by convenience sampling, and diversity and severity of their symptoms were measured using Yale - Brown scale. Subjects were clients at Tohid psychiatry and counseling center, and a private office, and the diagnoses were made by a psychiatrist [based on DSM-IV-IR]. This study showed that the obsessive thought mostly included contamination and aggregation, and contamination was significantly different in men and women. Compulsions were mostly checking and washing, with marked difference between the genders. There was a significant association between level of education and of contamination and somatic obsessions. Single and married patients were different only in contamination and counting significantly. Patients with obsessive - compulsive disorder have distinction symptomatologic and demographic features, but can be explained cultural varieties. This has major diagnostic and clinical implications in obsessive - compulsive disorder