Clinical Characteristics and Severity of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in a Psychiatric Out-patient Unit at Ramathibodi Hospital

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Objective: To examine clinical characteristics and severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Participents were patients aged 18 years old or older and visited the psychiatric out-patient unit of Ramathibodi hospital between January and May 2012. Instrument was used the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale to assess characteristics and severity of OCD.
Results: There were 36 patients, 33 cases have mixed obsessions and compulsions and 3 cases have pure obsessions. The most common obsessive characteristic was doubtfulness. The most common group of obsessions was aggressive obsession. The most common compulsive characteristic was checking lock, stove and electrical appliances. The most common group of compulsions was checking compulsion. Severity of OCD was moderate.
Conclusions: The finding of most common group of obsession and compulsion were similar to studies in western countries but were different from studies in asia. The cause of differences should be further investigated.