Obsessive compulsive disorder.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Cross-cultural psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition with diverse clinical presentations.
• While OCD phenomenology is studied globally, data from Islamic and Arab cultures remain limited.
• Understanding cultural influences on OCD is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical features and phenomenology of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in a Saudi Arabian population.
• To compare OCD presentation in a Moslem/Arab cultural context with findings from Western studies.
• To explore the role of cultural factors in shaping OCD symptoms.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of 45 cases diagnosed with OCD.
• Patients presented at a psychiatric clinic within a general university hospital in Saudi Arabia.
• Data collected included demographics, age of onset, functioning, onset type, course, and co-morbidity.

Main Results:

• Clinical features of OCD in Saudi Arabia were largely consistent with Western reports regarding age of onset, functioning, onset type, course, and co-morbidity.
• Religious obsessions and compulsions emerged as the most prevalent clinical features in this cohort.
• Observed similarities and differences were interpreted within the specific cultural context of Saudi Arabia.

Conclusions:

• OCD presentation shows cross-cultural similarities, but specific symptom prevalence can be influenced by cultural and religious factors.
• Religious themes in obsessions and compulsions are significant in the Saudi Arabian context.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate the interplay between culture and OCD phenomenology.