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Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms among Spanish Adolescents: Prevalence and Association with Depressive and Anxious Symptoms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2013

Zahra Noorian ,
Roser Granero ,
Estrella Ferreira ,
Kelly Romero-Acosta  and
Edelmira Domenèch-Llaberia
Zahra Noorian*
Affiliation:
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain)
Roser Granero
Affiliation:
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain)
Estrella Ferreira
Affiliation:
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain)
Kelly Romero-Acosta
Affiliation:
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain)
Edelmira Domenèch-Llaberia
Affiliation:
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Zahra Noorian. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB). Facultat de Psicología. Departament de Psicologia Clinica i de la Salut. 08193. Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain). E-mail: zahranoorian@gmail.com
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Abstract

The present study examines the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) in a population 1,061 adolescents (mean age 13.92) in Spain. The association between OCS and anxiety symptoms severity (panic attacks, separation anxiety, social phobia, generalized anxiety and school phobia) and depressive symptom severity has also been studied. Two distinct groups of subjects were defined and analyzed as being ‘positive’ on the obsessive-compulsive screen: The first group (called High interference) included all of the subjects who scored 25 or more in Leyton Obsessional Inventory-Child Version (LOI-CV) interference score regardless of symptom presence score, and the second group (labeled High symptom presence) consisted of all subjects with a symptom presence score equal to or above 15 and an interference score of 10 or less. Females scored higher than did males both on the symptom presence and interference scores. Forty- one subjects (3.9%) showed an interference score of 25 or more (high interference group) while eight students (0.8%) were included in the high symptom presence group. The most prevalent and interfering symptoms were: fussy about hands, hating dirt and contamination and going over things a lot. In addition, the association between LOI and depressive symptom severity was significant, while the association between LOI and anxiety symptoms severity was insignificant.

Keywords

LOI-CVobsessive-compulsive symptomsadolescentsprevalence
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 16 , 2013 , E98
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2013 

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