Prevalence of Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms among Patients with Schizophrenia

Abstract

Background:    Obsessions  and  compulsions   are  common   phenomena   in schizophrenia,    the   presence   of  OCD   or   significant   OCS   in  patients   with schizophrenia   has  been  associated  with  more  severe psychosis  and  depression, poorer   social  functioning,   lesser  likelihood   of  being   employed,  and   poorer prognosis.

Aim of the study:  The aim of the study  is to determine  the prevalence  of obsessive compulsive symptoms in schizophrenic  patient.

Material   and  Methods:    120 schizophrenic    patients   diagnosed   according    to DSM-IVTR    criteria    were   included   in   this   study.   Yale   -Brown    obsessive compulsive  scale  was  applied   to  detect   the   prevalence   and   the   content   of obsessive compulsive symptoms among these patients.

Results:  The  results  of this  study  were 26.7%  of schizophrenic   patients had  obsessive  compulsive  symptoms,  according  to  type  of  schizophrenia,   the obsessional    symptoms    were    more    frequent     in    paranoid     schizophrenic disorders,26   (21.6%)  and  28(23.3%)  in  the  age  group  between  seventeen  and thirty  seven years.

Conclusion:   findings  of  this  study  are  26.7%  of schizophrenic   patients had   obsessive  compulsive   symptoms.   Type   of   obsessions   and   compulsions experienced   by  the  patients   are  similar   to those  found   in  classical  obsessive compulsive disorder.