Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised Research Articles

Beyond the surface: Understanding obsessive symptoms and body perceptions, from shape concerns to fear of blushing

IntroductionRecent reclassifications have expanded the understanding of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders (OCDs), now incorporated into a broader category known as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Related Disorders (OCRDs). This study sought to assess obsessive-compulsive symptoms and body uneasiness among outpatients seeking treatment for Eating Disorders (ED). Additionally, we aimed to explore associations and potential mediation effects between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and body uneasiness. This investigation extended beyond concerns related solely to body shape and weight, encompassing fears associated with specific body components (such as facial features, abdominal region, and limbs) or functions (including sweating, blushing, emitting noises, and releasing odors). MethodsPsychometric assessments included the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) and the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT). Statistical analyses involved bivariate correlations, linear regression, and mediation analysis to explore the associations and potential mediation effects between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and different manifestations of body uneasiness. ResultsThe sample (N = 210) demonstrated substantial obsessive-compulsive symptoms and notable body discomfort. OCI-R scores positively correlated with various dimensions of body dissatisfaction, including shape, weight, and specific body components or functions. Linear regression revealed significant associations between OCI-R scores and overall body uneasiness (BUT-A) as well as concerns about body components or functions (BUTB). Mediation analysis indicated that BUT-A mediated the relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and BUTB. ConclusionThis study offers new insights into the comprehensive landscape of OCRDs. It specifically emphasizes the association between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and body uneasiness, embracing not only concerns about body shape and weight but also extending to body components and functions.

Investigating the Prevalence of COVID-19-Related Sleep Disorders Among Individuals Recovering from COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study

Background: Sleep disorders, as psychological manifestations of COVID-19, have been correlated with a decreased quality of all aspects of individuals' well-being, even after COVID-19 recovery. Objectives: Due to the persistence of sleep disorders even after the recovery from COVID-19, along with their significant consequences on the quality of life of individuals suffering from these disorders, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence and predictive power of sleep disorders and their correlation with socio-demographic and health disparities among COVID-19 recovered individuals in Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical investigation, a total of 300 individuals participated from 3 hospitals in different regions of Tehran. Participants were selected based on inclusion criteria and simple random sampling. They were then evaluated using the "Questionnaire of Clinical and Demographic Information" and the "Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)." Additionally, the "Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS21)," "The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R)," and "Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)" were used to assess other related disorders in the prevalence and predictive power of sleep disorders among the participants. Statistical tests, including the analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square, and Bayesian linear regression, were implemented using SPSS v. 26 to analyze the obtained data. Results: Among the total of 300 participants, 198 individuals (66%) demonstrated sleep disorders. The majority were female (54.54%), married (88.38%), employed (56.56%), from Tehran (96.96%), and covered by hospital C (36.86%). Ultimately, depression (BF = 0.01 and P-value = 0.0001), anxiety (BF = 0.02 and P-value = 0.0001), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (BF = 0.02 and P-value = 0.001), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (BF = 0.0001 and P-value = 0.001) were the most powerful predictors of the presence of sleep disorders among individuals recovered from COVID-19. Conclusions: COVID-19-related sleep disorders were found in more than half of the COVID-19-recovered individuals, with mild severity. Furthermore, the reported prevalence, severity, and significance varied among the participants in accordance with sociodemographic and health disparities.

Evaluation of obsessive-compulsive disorder prevalence in Iranian patients with multiple sclerosis and its relationship with demographic characteristics.

Background: The present study examined the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among Iranian patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and the relationship between OCD and the patient's demographic characteristics. Methods: The present study used a cluster sampling method to randomly select 297 patients with MS from the patients referred to the MS Clinic and Research Center of Sina University Hospital, Tehran, Iran, during 2018-2019. To gather the required data, a questionnaire consisting of demographic characteristics and disease information sections was used. Moreover, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were employed in the present study. The comparison of qualitative and quantitative values between OCD-positive and negative groups was examined with chi-square test and independent samples t-test, respectively. Binary logistic regression was used as multivariate modeling to adjust the effects of potential confounders that could distort the relation of OCD with intended variables. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The significance level was considered lower than 0.05. Results: Of the total of 297 patients, 77.8% were women. Moreover, analysis of the data obtained from the HADS questionnaire revealed that 11.44% (n = 34) and 15.15% (n = 45) of patients had severe depression and severe anxiety, respectively. The results of Y-BOCS indicated that the prevalence of severe OCD among patients was 19.9%. The OCI-R questionnaire revealed that the prevalence of OCD was 47.8%, which was consistent with the total of moderate, severe, and extreme values of Y-BOCS (47.9%). Furthermore, the subscales of ordering-arranging with 69 patients (22.9%) and obsessing with 46 patients (15.5%) indicated the highest frequencies as compared to other subscales. Moreover, OCD had a significant relationship with depression, anxiety, and type of MS in this regard. Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence rate of OCD among patients with MS was higher than its rate among the general population.

Self-Compassion and Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms in a Non-Clinical Sample: Insights from Network Analysis and Canonical Correlation Analysis

ObjectivesThe goal of the present study was to investigate the hypothesized complex interactions between dimensions of self-compassion and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCD) in a non-clinical sample.MethodFour hundred and twenty-four individuals (273 women) ranging in age from 18 to 83 years (M = 41.00; SD = 14.50) participated in the cross-sectional survey. The participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) and the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory—Revised (OCI-R). ResultsCertain dimensions of self-compassion were found to be associated with specific OCD symptoms, with positive dimensions (except Common humanity) correlating with reduced Obsessing, Hoarding, and Ordering, and negative dimensions correlating with all OCD symptoms. Canonical correlation analysis indicated three significant linkages: (1) between Isolation, Over-identification, and Obsessing, (2) between Self-judgment, Over-identification, Ordering, and Checking, and (3) between Self-judgment and Neutralizing. Exploratory graph analysis challenged the structure of the SCS and the OCI-R, suggesting two dimensions of self-compassion, compassionate self-reference and uncompassionate self-reference; and two dimensions of OCD, obsessing and other OCD symptoms. The Obsessing subscale appeared as a bridge between uncompassionate self-reference and OCD symptoms. Compassionate self-reference was negatively correlated with uncompassionate self-reference and obsessing, whereas uncompassionate self-reference was positively correlated with obsessing and OCD symptoms.ConclusionsInvestigation of the associations between self-compassion and psychopathology should avoid aggregating the uncompassionate and compassionate dimensions of self-compassion. The significant associations in the network of self-compassion and OCD symptoms were between uncompassionate self-reference, obsessing, and OCD symptoms.PreregistrationThis study is not pre-registered.

Compulsivity and Inhibitory Control Deficits in Abstinent Individuals With Heroin Addiction and Their Biological Siblings Compared With Unrelated Healthy Control Participants

BackgroundCompulsivity represents the performance of persistent and repetitive acts despite negative consequences and is considered one of the critical mechanisms for drug addiction. Although compulsivity-related neurocognitive impairments have been linked to addiction, it remains unclear whether these deficits might have predated drug abuse as potential familial susceptibilities. MethodsA large sample of 213 adult participants were recruited, including 70 abstinent individuals addicted to heroin (HAs), 69 unaffected biological siblings of the HAs (siblings), and 74 unrelated healthy control participants. Compulsivity-related neurocognitive functions were evaluated using the intradimensional/extradimensional set-shift task and a probabilistic reversal learning task. Compulsive traits were measured by the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised. Inhibitory control was assessed using the stop signal task and Stroop Color and Word Test. Network models for group recognition were conducted using multilayer perceptron neural networks. ResultsData indicated that both HAs and siblings performed worse than healthy control participants on compulsivity-related aspects (i.e., shifting and reversal learning functions) and inhibitory control and had higher levels of self-reported compulsive traits. Furthermore, neural models revealed that a possible 3-facet clustering of neurocognitive deficits was linked to both HAs and siblings. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that deficits in shift reversal and inhibitory control aspects and elevated compulsive traits, shared by HAs and their unaffected siblings, may putatively represent conceivable markers associated with familial vulnerabilities implicated in the development of heroin dependence.

Two Years after the Beginning of COVID-19: Comparing Families Who Had or Did not Have Patients with COVID-19 on Health Beliefs and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms.

Objective: This study aimed to compare health beliefs and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) in families with (FIM+) or without an infected member (FIM-) two years after the beginning of COVID-19. Additionally, this research intended to predict a decrease in OCS from baseline (T1) to 40 days later (T2) based on health beliefs. Method : In a longitudinal survey, 227 participants in two groups, including FIM+ (n = 98; M = 30.44; SD = 5.39) and FIM- (n = 129; M = 29.24; SD = 4.93), were selected through purposive sampling. They responded to measurements consisting of demographic characteristics, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and COVID-19 Health Belief Questionnaire (COVID-19-HBQ) at the final assessment phase (T2). To investigate differences between the two groups and predict OCS changes from T1 to T2, data were analyzed using Chi-squared, t-tests, U-Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson correlations, and linear regression analyses. Results: At T1, FIM+ demonstrated significantly greater OCS, health beliefs, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS), and depressive symptoms than FIM-. Furthermore, FIM+ showed a decrease in OCS from T1 to T2 after its infected member recovered from COVID-19 (P < 0.001). A decrease in OCS was correlated with a decrease in perceived susceptibility, severity, and barriers. Lack of a vulnerable family member, lower educational attainment, and being a primary caregiver were associated with a greater decrease in OCS. Changes in perceived severity and self-efficacy accounted for 17% of variation in OCS. Conclusion: Even two years after the onset of the pandemic, COVID-19 not only impacts the life of patients with COVID-19 but family members who care for such patients respond to the disease by engaging in excessive health behaviors in the form of OCS.

Exploring the structure of the university-students obsessive–compulsive tendency scale in Iranian university students: a network analysis study

IntroductionA risk factor for developing obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) in non-clinical samples is obsessive–compulsive tendencies (OCT). An OCT scale has recently been developed for university students (UOC) and showed promising psychometric properties. However, no validated Persian language scale evaluates OCT in non-clinical samples. Accordingly, this study aimed to validate the Persian version of the UOC in Iranian university students.MethodsThree hundred sixty-eight university students (54.6% females, mean ages: 22.4 ± 4.51) entered the study. The Persian version of UOC was evaluated concerning the structure of Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and Exploratory graph analysis (EGA). Regarding the construct validity, the concurrent validity was assessed between the UOC and The Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and Yale-Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). We calculated Cronbach’s alpha to evaluate the reliability of the UOC. All statistical calculations were done in R programming language (in R-Studio Desktop version 4.2.1).ResultsThe Persian version of UOC showed a convenient internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the total scale 0.88. UOC scores were significantly correlated with OCI-R, K-10, and YBOCS. The EFA and EGA showed four and three-factor solutions with 25 and 28 items, respectively. Also, CFA showed that these two solutions were reliable, and the three-factors solution showed higher fit indexes. Finally, the results showed that item-27 was the most central item in the UOC network structure.ConclusionThe findings from the present study indicated that the Persian version of UOC has acceptable psychometric properties. So, this scale can be used for examining obsessive–compulsive tendencies in Iranian university students.

Prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and their psychosocial correlates among medical students during COVID-19 pandemic.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) among medical students during COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate their association with related sociodemographic features and other psychological symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, students from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences with no major exam in the preceding or following month were surveyed during April to August 2021 through stratified available sampling. Data were collected by a structured online questionnaire distributed through social media platforms. OCS were assessed using Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) and COVID-related stress was evaluated using COVID Stress Scale (CSS). Overall, 347 students with a mean age of 22.67 ± 2.56 years were included in this study, of whom 30.3% had probable obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; OCI-R score ≥21). Mean CSS scores in students with and without probable OCD were 38.64 ± 19.82 and 26.72 ± 16.63, respectively ( P  < 0.005). Total CSS score was significantly correlated with OCI-R score ( r  = 0.38, P  = 0.001). Around one-third of the medical students reported significant OCS during COVID-19 pandemic, which was associated with higher COVID-19-related stress. Further research provides insight into management of OCD and related disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Obsessive-Compulsive Symptom Dimensions and Their Relationships with Obsessive Beliefs: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis.

Dysfunctional beliefs are central in the development and maintenance of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as well as its treatment. Yet, research suggests that not all dysfunctional beliefs are equally important for each of the symptom dimensions of OCD. However, results are inconsistent in that studies contradict each other regarding the associations between specific symptom dimensions and belief domains. The aim of the present study was to clarify which belief domain is specifically associated with which OCD symptom dimension. Results could help to tailor treatments more specifically to the patient's OCD symptom dimension. In- and outpatients with OCD (N = 328; 43.6% male and 56.4% female) filled out questionnaires on symptom dimensions of OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory Revised) and dysfunctional beliefs (Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire). A structural equation model analysis was conducted to identify the associations between dysfunctional beliefs and symptom dimensions. Our results showed that perfectionism/intolerance of uncertainty was associated with hoarding and symmetry/ordering, (2) overestimation of threat/inflated responsibility was associated with checking compulsions, and (3) importance of thoughts/control of thoughts was associated with obsessing. These results were largely supported by a backward selection. Our results demonstrated associations of specific dysfunctional beliefs and specific OCD symptom dimensions. However, future studies are necessary to replicate these findings with other measures (e.g., clinician ratings).

The impact of childhood trauma on perceived stress and personality in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: A cross-sectional network analysis

ObjectiveLittle is known about the role of childhood experiences in the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, the influence of childhood experiences on personality, behavior, and perceived stress may vary between OCD patients and healthy individuals. The objective of this study was to use network analysis to explore the relationship between childhood trauma, personality, perceived stress, and symptom dimensions, thus finding the difference between patients' and healthy people's network. Methods488 patients with OCD and 210 healthy volunteers were recruited. All of them were assessed with the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory - Revised (OCI-R), the Perceived Stress Scale-10, the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and the Early Trauma Inventory Self-Report Short Form. Network analysis was conducted and the centrality indices were calculated. Network comparison test was performed. ResultsIn patients' network, the Obsession and the Ordering behavior were the most important nodes among the OCI-R. The perceived stress showed the strongest strength centrality of all nodes and positive correlation with the Obsession and Neuroticism. Network comparison test results indicated a statistically significant difference between network structure, and post-hoc analysis found five edges significantly differed between patients and healthy controls, mainly on Obsession and Washing behaviors. ConclusionsEmotional abuse was considered significant in both networks due to its higher strength centrality. Meanwhile, perceived stress was found to be more significant in the patient network and exhibited stronger associations with obsession. The obsessive thoughts and washing behavior were different among patients and healthy controls, which brought new understanding to the pathopsychological mechanisms of OCD.

Eating disorder symptoms and control-seeking behavior.

Eating disorders (EDs) are a heterogenous group of disorders characterized by disturbed eating patterns. Links have been made between ED symptoms and control-seeking behaviors, which may cause relief from distress. However, whether direct behavioral measures of control-seeking behavior correlate with ED symptoms has not been directly tested. Additionally, existing paradigms may conflate control-seeking behavior with uncertainty-reducing behavior. A general population sample of 183 participants completed part in an online behavioral task, in which participants rolled a die in order to obtain/avoid a set of numbers. Prior to each roll, participants could choose to change arbitrary features of the task (such as the color of their die) or view additional information (such as the current trial number). Selecting these Control Options could cost participants points or not (Cost/No-Cost conditions). Each participant completed all four conditions, each with 15 trials, followed by a series of questionnaires, including the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, and the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R). A Spearman's rank test indicated no significant correlation between total EAT-26 score and total number of Control Options selected, with only elevated scores on a measure of obsessions and compulsivity (OCI-R) correlating with the total number of Control Options selected (rs =.155, p=.036). In our novel paradigm, we find no relationship between EAT-26 score and control-seeking. However, we do find some evidence that this behavior may be present in other disorders that often coincide with ED diagnosis, which may indicate that transdiagnostic factors such as compulsivity are important to control-seeking.

Increased Frequency of Self-Reported Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Patients with Functional Movement Disorders.

Functional movement disorders (FMD) are associated with a high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities. To assess the frequency of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) in FMD. A total of 167 consecutive patients with clinically definite FMD (mean age = 44.4 years, standard deviation [SD] = 12.0, 119 females) and 145 healthy controls (mean age = 43.2 years, SD = 11.8, 103 females) completed the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), which is a widely used tool for assessing OCS. The cutoff score ≥21 is indicative of clinically significant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Motor symptom severity was assessed using the Simplified FMD Rating Scale (S-FMDRS). All subjects completed questionnaires for depression, anxiety, pain, fatigue, cognitive complaints, health-related quality of life, and childhood trauma. Personality traits were assessed using the Big Five questionnaire. FMD patients had higher mean OCI-R score and higher proportion of individuals with OCI-R ≥ 21 42%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = (30.2, 54.6) versus 16%, 95% CI = (8.2, 28.2) in controls, P < 0.001. Patients had higher scores in three domains: checking, ordering, and obsessing (P < 0.001). FMD patients with OCI-R score ≥21 had higher depression, anxiety, cognitive complaints, and lower quality of life compared to those with score <21 (P < 0.001). No correlation between OCI-R and S-FMDRS scores was found. FMD patients reported higher rates of OCS compared to controls, along with higher rates of non-motor symptoms and lower quality of life. This finding may have clinical implications and raises the possibility of shared risk factors and common pathophysiological mechanisms in FMD and OCD.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on obsessive-compulsive symptoms in the Swiss general population.

In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental-health experts called attention to a possible deterioration of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCSs). In particular, people suffering from a fear of contamination were considered a vulnerable population. The aim of this study was to investigate the change in OCSs from before to during the pandemic within the Swiss general population, and to examine a possible relationship of OCSs to stress and anxiety. This cross-sectional study was implemented as an anonymized online survey (N = 3,486). The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) was used to assess global OCS severity (range: 0-72, clinical cut-off > 18) and specific OCS dimensions (range: 0-12) during the second wave of the pandemic and retrospectively for before the pandemic. Participants were asked to report stress and anxiety in the previous 2 weeks before the survey. Participants reported significantly higher OCI-R total scores during (12.73) compared to before the pandemic (9.04, mean delta increase: 3.69). Significantly more individuals reported an OCI-R total score exceeding the clinical cut-off during (24%) than before the pandemic (13%). OCS severity increased on all symptom dimensions, but was most pronounced on the washing dimension (all with p < 0.001). Self-reported stress and anxiety were weakly associated with differences in severity in total score and symptom dimensions (with R2 < 0.1 and p < 0.001). Our results indicate that the full spectrum of people with OCS should be considered as risk groups for symptom deterioration during a pandemic and when assessing its possible long-term effects of such.

Impairment of arbitration between model-based and model-free reinforcement learning in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by an imbalance between goal-directed and habitual learning systems in behavioral control, but it is unclear whether these impairments are due to a single system abnormality of the goal-directed system or due to an impairment in a separate arbitration mechanism that selects which system controls behavior at each point in time. A total of 30 OCD patients and 120 healthy controls performed a 2-choice, 3-stage Markov decision-making paradigm. Reinforcement learning models were used to estimate goal-directed learning (as model-based reinforcement learning) and habitual learning (as model-free reinforcement learning). In general, 29 high Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) score controls, 31 low OCI-R score controls, and all 30 OCD patients were selected for the analysis. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients showed less appropriate strategy choices than controls regardless of whether the OCI-R scores in the control subjects were high (p = 0.012) or low (p < 0.001), specifically showing a greater model-free strategy use in task conditions where the model-based strategy was optimal. Furthermore, OCD patients (p = 0.001) and control subjects with high OCI-R scores (H-OCI-R; p = 0.009) both showed greater system switching rather than consistent strategy use in task conditions where model-free use was optimal. These findings indicated an impaired arbitration mechanism for flexible adaptation to environmental demands in both OCD patients and healthy individuals reporting high OCI-R scores.

Prevalence and predicors of COVID-centred obsessive compulsive disorder among Iranian COVID-19 recovered individuals: a Bayesian analysis

BackgroundThe evidence on the psychological consequences of coronavirus 2019 mainly relates to general psychiatric problems, and a few studies have reported the incidence and predictors of obsessive-compulsive disorder.ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and its predictors in Iranian COVID − 19 recovered individuals at 3–6 months, 6–12 months, and 12–18 months after recovery.MethodIn this cross-sectional analytical study, 300 participants were randomly selected based on the inclusion criteria from three hospitals in three different regions of Tehran, Iran, and were assessed by the Clinical Demographic Information Questionnaire, the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS21), The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). The obtained data were analyzed with SPSS version 26.ResultsThe results showed that the mean score of OCD is 30.58 ± 15.22, with a prevalence of 71% (n = 213). Female gender (BF = 0.50, p = 0.01), sleep disturbance (BF = 0.02, p = 0.001), PTSD (BF = 0.009, p = 0.0001), depression (BF = 0.0001, p = 0.0001), and stress (BF = 0.0001, p = 0.001) are the strongest predictors of the presence of OCD in recovered COVID − 19 individuals.ConclusionOCD-like symptoms was observed in the majority of COVID − 19 recovered individuals with mild to moderate severity. In addition, the stated prevalence, severity, and significance varied according to sociodemographic and health inequalities.

Speech graph analysis in obsessive-compulsive disorder: The relevance of dream reports

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a distressing disorder characterized by the presence of intrusive thoughts, images or urges (obsessions) and/or behavioral efforts to reduce the anxiety (compulsions). OCD lifetime prevalence varies between 1% and 3% in the general population and there are no reliable markers that support the diagnosis. In order to fill this gap, Computational Psychiatry employs multiple types of quantitative analyses to improve the understanding, diagnosis, prediction, and treatment of mental illnesses including OCD. One of these computational tools is speech graphs analysis. A graph represents a network of nodes connected by edges: in non-semantic speech graphs, nodes correspond to words and edges correspond to the directed link between consecutive words. Using non-semantic speech graphs, we compared free speech samples from OCD patients and healthy controls (HC), to test whether speech graphs analysis can grasp structural differences in speech between these groups. To this end, 39 OCD patients and 37 HC were interviewed and recorded during six types of speech reports: yesterday, dream, old memory, positive image, negative image and neutral image. Also, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) and the Yale Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) were used to assess symptom severity. The graph-theoretical structural analysis of dream reports showed that OCD patients have significantly smaller lexical diversity, lower speech connectedness and a higher recurrence of words in comparison with HC. The other five report types failed to show differences between the groups, adding to the notion that dream reports are especially informative of speech structure in different psychiatric states. Further investigation is necessary to completely assess the potential of this tool in OCD.

INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EARLY MALADAPTIVE SCHEMES IN OCD SUBTYPES

There are few studies in the literature examining the role of early maladaptive schemas (EMS) in OCD. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study examining OCD in terms of schema domains and the scope of schema theory. Our study, in which and the relationship between OCD sub-dimensions and EMS was examined, was planned to contribute to the literature in conceptualizing OCD according to the schema model. 60 OCD patients and 111 healthy volunteers were included in the study and sociodemographic form, Young Schema Scale Short Form-3 and Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) scales were applied. Considering the hypothesis that each psychopathology exhibits unique schema activations, increasing number of prospective studies examining OCD and its subtypes and early maladaptive schemas and schema domains will contribute to the literature in this field. Although the common denominator of the studies conducted is that certain EMSs are active in OCD, our study stands out in terms of examining subtypes and schema domain correlations.

A network approach to understanding obsessions and compulsions

BackgroundEfforts to understand the constellation of symptoms in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have typically relied on models where latent variable(s) are assumed to underlie all symptoms. In contrast, a network approach does not assume that there are underlying latent variables and allows for the possibility that clusters of symptoms may mutually reinforce each other. We aimed to determine whether obsessions and compulsions formed a coherent and mutually reinforcing network of symptoms. Method400 participants were recruited online and administered the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R). A network analysis was computed using an Extended Bayesian Information Criterion estimator. ResultsThere were five communities of symptoms: 1. A mixed contamination and checking community, 2. An ordering/arranging community, 3. A superstitious/counting/repeating community, 4. A mixed hoarding and checking community, and 5. An intrusive thoughts community. In the accuracy check, edges displayed wide confidence intervals, indicating that edges’ strength could not be interpreted. Additional analyses at the level of OCI-R subscales indicated that checking was significantly more central than other subscales in the network. ConclusionsObsessions and compulsions may be related in a mutually reinforcing way, thereby constituting OCD as a psychopathological entity. Prospective investigations are needed to ascertain the directionality of relationships in the network.

Examination of a bifactor model of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory- Revised

The current study evaluated a bifactor model for the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory Revised (OCI-R) in two samples, with (n=188) and without (n=408) obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD). Since the OCI-R has been traditionally conceptualized as a correlated six-factor instrument, our goal was to evaluate the fit of a bifactor model against three competing models (one general factor,six correlated factors and a hierarchical model). Results revealed that the bifactor model presented the best fit and that all OCI-R items were influenced by a general factor and by one of the six dimensions. Model-based reliability estimated via Omega hierarchical for the total score suggested that OCI-R items are multidimensional, with the general obsessive-compulsive (OC) factor accounting for little more than half of the variability in the items of the total score, with the remaining variability accounted for by the specific OC domains and other sources of variance. Measurement invariance of the bifactor model was also supported among those with and without OCD. Implications for better understanding the structure and further use of the OCI-R are discussed.

Efficacy of Onabotulinum Toxin A on Obsessive-Compulsive Traits in a Population of Chronic Migraine Patients.

Drug addiction may play an important role in chronic migraine (CM) with medication-overuse headache (MOH). Psychiatric diseases are associated with CM, but data regarding obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are lacking. We aimed to establish the prevalence of OCD traits in CM patients with MOH and the impact on onabotulinum toxin A (OBT-A) treatment. A total of 75 patients with CM and MOH undergoing treatment with OBT-A in our Headache Centre were evaluated. At baseline and after four injection sessions, we assessed the migraine burden and the presence of OCD traits with the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) test. At baseline, 28% of patients had OCI-R scores compatible with borderline OCD aspects, while 22.7% were pathological. An improvement in headache was significantly associated with an increase in the number of subjects with a normal OCI-R score at T0 and T1, whereas patients with a pathological OCI-R score at T0 showed a significantly higher prevalence of CM at T1. Our data showed a significant rate of OCD traits at baseline, which could strengthen the hypothesis of an addictive disorder underlying CM with MOH. OCD traits seem to influence the OBT-A response. An OCD assessment could be useful in improving patients' selections before starting treatments.