Temperamental factors in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and in normal controls

• We studied parent-rated temperamental traits in patients (n=83) with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as compared with children and adolescents matched for age and gender (n=85) using the EAS (Emotionality, Activity, Sociability) questionnaire. Specifically, two hypotheses of OCD were studied: (1) the presence of behavioural inhibition (BI) and (2) of high levels of emotionality utilising ANOVA analyses, controlling for gender and age group (children vs. adolescents). The presence of BI in OCD patients was confirmed in that they scored higher than controls on Shyness [F (df=7)=2.69, p<0.012] but lower on Activity [F (df=7)=3.01, p<0.005]. Also, our second hypothesis was corroborated in that OCD patients scored higher than controls on Emotionality [F (df=7)=3.59, p<0.001]. A third hypothesis, the presence of temperamental heterogeneity in OCD, was likewise confirmed. We found, using hierarchical cluster analyses, two subgroups of about equal size, an Inhibited/Shy group (n=44), high in Shyness and low in Emotionality, Sociability and Activity, and an Uninhibited group (n=32) that was high in Emotionality, Sociability and Activity, but low in Shyness. However, the temperamental subgroups gave no clear picture with regard to the most common symptom patterns.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Psykiatri (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Psychiatry (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

behavioral-inhibition

personality-disorders

tourettes-syndrome

anxiety disorders

follow-up

family

character

model

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)