Dataset Information

Illness perceptions in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder; A qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a serious mental health problem that causes significant impairment and reduced quality of life. Though some substantially benefit from psychological therapies, a substantial proportion of people with OCD disengage from treatment or fail to benefit. Theoretical models such as the Common-Sense Model posit that our management of physical illness depends on our perceptions about the condition. Identifying how people with OCD perceive their condition could lead to important insight that would improve treatment of OCD.

Objectives

To identify and characterise the illness perceptions of people with OCD.

Method

Transcribed semi-structured interviews exploring the illness perceptions of 16 people with OCD were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

In some cases, identification of symptoms was hindered by a failure to interpret experiences as 'symptoms'. Instead, these individuals interpreted symptoms as a personality quirk, or as evidence that they had become deviant. Perceptions of the condition as 'part' of the self contributed to views of OCD as permanent. Individuals were concerned about the impact of OCD on friends and family and attempted to minimise its consequences, for example by concealing symptoms from their children, who they feared could acquire OCD.

Conclusion

Applying a theoretical model of physical health understanding to OCD yielded novel insights, with important implications for support and treatment. To enable early help-seeking and rapid diagnosis, public and professional knowledge about OCD should be extended beyond 'washing and checking' to the less widely known OCD-subtypes, such as fear of causing harm. It may be important to identify and challenge views of OCD as permanent early in the course of treatment to maximise engagement. Management of OCD should also address the burden of living with OCD in a family context. Further research to test whether these perceptions lead to coping responses and outcomes in OCD is now needed.

SUBMITTER: Pedley R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6426201 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Illness perceptions in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder; A qualitative study.

Pedley Rebecca R Bee Penny P Wearden Alison A Berry Katherine K

PloS one 20190320 3

<h4>Background</h4>Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a serious mental health problem that causes significant impairment and reduced quality of life. Though some substantially benefit from psychological therapies, a substantial proportion of people with OCD disengage from treatment or fail to benefit. Theoretical models such as the Common-Sense Model posit that our management of physical illness depends on our perceptions about the condition. Identifying how people with OCD perceive their co ...[more]

PMID: 30893331

Similar Datasets

Project description:Objective: To evaluate the lifetime prevalence of infectious, inflammatory, and autoimmune disorders in a multisite study of probands with childhood-onset obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and their first-degree relatives. Methods: Medical questionnaires were completed by 1401 probands and 1045 first-degree relatives in the OCD Collaborative Genetics Association Study. Lifetime prevalence of immune-related diseases was compared with the highest available population estimate and reported as a point estimate with 95% adjusted Wald interval. Worst-episode OCD severity and symptom dimensions were assessed with the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) and Symptom Checklist (YBOCS-CL). Results: Probands reported higher-than-expected prevalence of scarlet fever (4.0 [3.1-5.2]% vs. 1.0%-2.0%, z?=?1.491, p?<?0.001, n?=?1389), encephalitis or meningitis (1.4 [0.9-2.1]% vs. 0.1%-0.4%, z?=?5.913, p?<?0.001, n?=?1393), rheumatoid arthritis (1.1 [0.6-2.0]% vs. 0.2%-0.4%, z?=?3.416, p?<?0.001, n?=?949) and rheumatic fever (0.6 [0.3-1.2]% vs. 0.1%-0.2%, z?=?3.338, p?<?0.001, n?=?1390), but not systemic lupus erythematosus, diabetes, asthma, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, or inflammatory bowel disease. First-degree relatives reported similarly elevated rates of scarlet fever, rheumatic fever, and encephalitis or meningitis independent of OCD status. There was no association between worst-episode severity and immune-related comorbidities, although probands reporting frequent ear or throat infections had increased severity of cleaning-/contamination-related symptoms (mean factor score 2.5?±?0.9 vs. 2.3?±?1.0, t?=?3.183, p?=?0.002, n?=?822). Conclusion: These data suggest high rates of streptococcal-related and other immune-mediated diseases in patients with childhood-onset OCD and are consistent with epidemiological studies in adults noting familial clustering. Limitations include potential reporting bias and absence of a control group, underscoring the need for further prospective studies characterizing medical and psychiatric disease clusters and their interactions in children. Such studies may ultimately improve our understanding of OCD pathogenesis and aid in the development of adjunctive immune-modulating therapeutic strategies.

Dataset Information

Illness perceptions in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder; A qualitative study.

Background

Objectives

Method

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Illness perceptions in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder; A qualitative study.

Similar Datasets

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