Obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders : a comorbidity and family history perspective

Vlasios Brakoulias, Vladan Starcevic, Peter Sammut, David Berle, Denise Milicevic, Karen Moses, Anthony Hannan

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    24 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Objective: The concept of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (OCSDs) has become so infl uential that there are proposals to introduce it into new diagnostic classifi catory systems. The aim of this paper was to assess whether rates of comorbidity and family history of OCSDs in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) supported this concept. Method: Comorbidity and family history were assessed in a group of participants with a primary diagnosis of OCD, using structured clinical interviews. Rates of OCSDs and other anxiety disorders (OADs), excluding OCD, were compared. Results: Of the 77 OCD participants assessed, the most prevalent comorbid conditions were OADs: generalized anxiety disorder (34.6%), specifi c phobia (26.9%), social phobia (21.8%) and panic disorder (19.2%). The proposed OCSDs were less frequently comorbid: tic disorder (12.8%), trichotillomania (5.1%), hypochondriasis (3.8%) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) (3.8%). Similar trends were observed for a family history of these disorders. No participant reported a family history of an OCSD without a family history of an OAD. Conclusions: Although the concept of OCSDs has invigorated thinking in this complex diagnostic fi eld, these results support the current association of OCD with OADs rather than with OCSDs.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)151-155
    Number of pages5
    JournalAustralasian Psychiatry
    Volume19
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2011

    Keywords

    • comorbidity
    • diagnosis
    • obsessive-compulsive disorder

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders : a comorbidity and family history perspective'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this