Body dysmorphic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder: similarities, differences and the classification debate

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) traditionally classified as an anxiety disorder.
• Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) historically grouped with somatoform disorders.
• Significant clinical overlap exists between OCD and BDD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the association between OCD and BDD.
• To explore the rationale for including BDD within a proposed obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders category.
• To discuss theoretical and clinical implications of this association.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of emerging research on OCD and BDD.
• Analysis of clinical similarities and diagnostic classifications.
• Synthesis of theoretical frameworks and clinical evidence.

Main Results:

• Evidence highlights substantial similarities in the clinical presentation of OCD and BDD.
• Ongoing debate regarding the classification of BDD, with consideration for an obsessive-compulsive spectrum.
• The association suggests potential shared underlying mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• The clinical similarities between OCD and BDD support their conceptual linkage.
• Reclassification of BDD within an obsessive-compulsive spectrum is a significant area of research.
• Understanding this association has important theoretical and clinical implications for diagnosis and treatment.