How Does the Normalization Process After the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? A...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted mental health, particularly for individuals with pre-existing conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Understanding the effects of societal normalization post-pandemic on OCD symptomology and related anxieties is crucial for effective clinical management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of the post-pandemic normalization process on symptom severity in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• To assess changes in fear of COVID-19 and its association with OCD symptoms during the normalization phase.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study involving OCD patients assessed during the pandemic and approximately one year into the normalization period.
• Utilized the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Padua Inventory-Washington State University Revision (PE-WSUR), and Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S).
• Sociodemographic data were collected via interview.

Main Results:

• Significant reductions observed in Y-BOCS, PE-WSUR, and FCV-19S scores during the normalization period.
• Fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S) remained associated with OCD symptoms throughout both pandemic and normalization phases.
• Patients with lower Y-BOCS scores (<12) exhibited statistically significantly lower final FCV-19S scores.

Conclusions:

• The normalization process following the pandemic was associated with a decrease in OCD symptom severity and fear of COVID-19.
• Reduced pandemic-related stress and fear likely contributed to positive outcomes for OCD patients.
• The findings highlight the interplay between external stressors, fear, and OCD symptom expression.