Objectives: The study aims were to estimate the prevalence and correlates of symptoms suggestive of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among medical students and investigate the severity and correlates of specific obsessive-compulsive symptom (OCS) dimensions in this population.
Methods: A cross-sectional study with 471 Brazilian medical students, who were assessed using the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R). The main outcomes were "probable OCD" (OCI-R score >27) and overall/dimensional OCI-R scores. Sociodemographic data, depressive symptoms, and several aspects of academic life were also investigated. Bivariate analyses were followed by regression models.
Results: Eighteen (3.8%) participants presented probable OCD, which was associated with depression. The mean OCI-R score was 8.9, and greater overall severity was independently associated with being a freshman, difficulty in adaptation, and depressive symptoms. Higher scores in the "checking" and "washing" dimensions were associated with being a freshman, in the "neutralization" and "ordering" dimensions with adaptation difficulties, and in the "hoarding" dimension with adaptation difficulties and depressive symptoms. The "obsession" dimension was associated with being a freshman, difficulty making friends, depressive symptoms, and psychological/psychiatric treatment.
Conclusions: Probable OCD is more frequent in medical students than in the general population and is associated with depressive symptoms. Efforts are required to identify OCS in this population, particularly among first-year students and to provide treatment, when necessary. Institutional programs that properly receive freshmen, enhancing their integration with other colleagues and their adaptation to the city, may decrease the level of stress and, consequently, OCS severity.
Keywords: Medical students: behavioral sciences; Medical students: emotional problems; Mental health; Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
Campos LM, Yoshimi NT, Simão MO, Torresan RC, Torres AR. Campos LM, et al. Psychiatry Res. 2015 Sep 30;229(1-2):401-9. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.05.111. Epub 2015 Jun 27. Psychiatry Res. 2015. PMID: 26150309
Torres AR, Fontenelle LF, Ferrão YA, do Rosário MC, Torresan RC, Miguel EC, Shavitt RG. Torres AR, et al. J Psychiatr Res. 2012 Jun;46(6):724-32. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.03.005. Epub 2012 Mar 31. J Psychiatr Res. 2012. PMID: 22464941
Torres AR, Shavitt RG, Torresan RC, Ferrão YA, Miguel EC, Fontenelle LF. Torres AR, et al. Compr Psychiatry. 2013 Oct;54(7):1042-52. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2013.04.013. Epub 2013 Jun 6. Compr Psychiatry. 2013. PMID: 23746710
Huppert JD, Moser JS, Gershuny BS, Riggs DS, Spokas M, Filip J, Hajcak G, Parker HA, Baer L, Foa EB. Huppert JD, et al. J Anxiety Disord. 2005;19(1):127-36. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2004.01.001. J Anxiety Disord. 2005. PMID: 15488372 Review.
Abramowitz JS, Wheaton MG, Storch EA. Abramowitz JS, et al. Behav Res Ther. 2008 Sep;46(9):1026-33. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2008.05.006. Epub 2008 Jun 27. Behav Res Ther. 2008. PMID: 18684434 Review.
Harold R, Hill KE, Kamat R, Perlman G, Kotov R, Ruggero CJ, Samuel DB, Foti D. Harold R, et al. Int J Psychophysiol. 2024 Oct;204:112404. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2024.112404. Epub 2024 Jul 22. Int J Psychophysiol. 2024. PMID: 39047794
Zarowski B, Giokaris D, Green O. Zarowski B, et al. Cureus. 2024 Feb 11;16(2):e54032. doi: 10.7759/cureus.54032. eCollection 2024 Feb. Cureus. 2024. PMID: 38348205 Free PMC article. Review.
Meda N, Pardini S, Rigobello P, Visioli F, Novara C. Meda N, et al. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2023 Jul 7;32:e42. doi: 10.1017/S2045796023000550. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2023. PMID: 37417237 Free PMC article.
Hurtado MM, Macías M, Morales-Asencio JM. Hurtado MM, et al. Psychiatry Res Case Rep. 2023 Jun;2(1):100085. doi: 10.1016/j.psycr.2022.100085. Epub 2022 Dec 14. Psychiatry Res Case Rep. 2023. PMID: 36533208 Free PMC article.
Guo J, Huang X, Zheng A, Chen W, Lei Z, Tang C, Chen H, Ma H, Li X. Guo J, et al. Front Psychiatry. 2022 May 16;13:836956. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.836956. eCollection 2022. Front Psychiatry. 2022. PMID: 35651820 Free PMC article.