Childhood trauma and dissociation in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder

The present study attempted to assess childhood trauma events and dissociative symptoms in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

The study included all patients who were admitted for the first time to the psychiatric outpatient unit over a 24-month period. Seventy-eight patients were diagnosed as having OCD during the two-year study period. Childhood traumatic events were assessed with a Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Obsessive compulsive disorder symptoms were assessed with the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). A Dissociation Questionnaire (DIS-Q) was also used to measure dissociative symptoms.

The mean of Y-BOCS points were 23.37 +/- 7.27. Dissociation questionnaire scores were between 0.40 and 3.87 and the mean was 2.23 +/- 0.76. Childhood trauma points were 1.27-4.77 and the mean was 2.38 +/- 0.56. There was no statistically significant relationship between Y-BOCS points and childhood trauma points (p > 0.05). There was a statistically significant positive relationship between Y-BOCS points and DIS-Q points. There was no statistically significant relationship between DIS-Q points and childhood trauma points (p > 0.05).

Childhood trauma questionnaire points might be significant clinically, although there was not a statistically significant correlation in our study. We also conclude that dissociative symptoms among patients with OCD should alert clinicians to treatment of the disorder.