The structure of obsessionality among young adults.

Full Abstract

Although the phenomenology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is well understood, less is known about the structure of obsessive symptoms in non-clinical populations. The present study examines the factorial structure of the Leyton Obsessional Inventory short form (LOI-SF) in a sample of 1,015 undergraduate college students. Four factors were extracted describing concerns about contamination (labeled the Contamination factor); repeating behaviors or uncomfortable thoughts or doubts (labeled the Doubts/Repeating factor); checking behaviors, too much attention to detail, honesty concerns, strict conscience and strict routine (labeled the Checking/Detail factor); and taking a long time to dress and to hang up and put away clothing, as well as belief in extremely unlucky numbers (labeled Worries/Just Right factor). Self-report measures of anxiety and ADHD symptoms were correlated positively with these factors, particularly with the checking/detail factor. The prevalence, symptom structure, and patterns of comorbidity seen in this sample of unselected college students are similar to the patterns seen in adolescents with OCD, suggesting that obsessional symptoms and OCD may exist along a continuum. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Author information

Author/s: Mathews, Carol A (CA); Jang, Kerry L (KL); Hami, Shadha (S); Stein, Murray B (MB);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0810, USA. camathews(-atsign-)ucsd.edu

Grants: MH-64122 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Depression and anxiety (Depress Anxiety), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2004-; vol 20 (issue 2) : pp 77-85

Dates: Created 2004/10/12; Completed 2005/02/18; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 15468097, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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