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The overlap between OCD and PTSD: Examining self-reported symptom differentiation.
C Laurel Franklin1, Amanda M Raines2
1Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS), New Orleans, LA 70119, United States; South Central Mental Illness Research, Education & Clinical Center (MIRECC), New Orleans, LA 70119, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States.
Traumatic stress can trigger both obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study found significant symptom overlap between OCD and PTSD in veterans, suggesting self-report measures may struggle to differentiate these conditions.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Stressful events are linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) development.
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) requires a Criterion A traumatic event.
- High comorbidity exists between OCD and PTSD, but symptom overlap is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate symptom overlap and endorsement between OCD and PTSD.
- To analyze symptom presentation in trauma-exposed veterans.
- To assess the diagnostic differentiation challenges between OCD and PTSD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized self-report measures: Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS) and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).
- Collected data from veterans receiving care at a Veteran's Administration hospital.
- Employed chi-square analyses to examine symptom endorsement overlap.
Main Results:
- High prevalence rates: 81% met criteria for probable PTSD, 74% for probable OCD.
- Significant overlap found in symptom endorsement across similar content items.
- Patients may struggle to differentiate between OCD and PTSD symptoms on self-report measures.
Conclusions:
- There is substantial symptom overlap between PTSD and OCD.
- Self-report measures may not reliably distinguish between PTSD and OCD in trauma-exposed individuals.
- Caution is advised when relying solely on self-report for diagnosing PTSD and OCD in this population.
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