Resilience, Coping Strategies, and Trauma-Related Symptoms in the Mexican Population Diagnosed With...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by the presence of obsessions and compulsions, which are performed in an attempt to alleviate anxiety. It is imperative to identify additional factors that may influence symptom severity and treatment efficacy. This study aims to evaluate the relationship among resilience, coping strategies, and trauma with the severity of symptoms in the Mexican population diagnosed with OCD.

A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Institute of Psychiatry in Mexico City. The sample comprised 45 patients diagnosed with OCD. All participants underwent a clinical interview and completed the following instruments: the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), the Coping Strategy Indicator (CSI), and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Spearman's rank correlation was performed to assess the relationship between the Y-BOCS scores and the scores obtained from the other scales. Furthermore, a subgroup analysis was performed based on the participants' gender.

A weak negative correlation was observed between the BRS score and the severity of the Y-BOCS obsessive factor (r_s (43) = -0.31, p = 0.041), as well as between the CSI seeking social support score and the Y-BOCS compulsive factor (r_s (43) = -0.29, p = 0.050). Additionally, a weak positive correlation was identified between the CSI avoidance score and the Y-BOCS obsessive factor (r_s (43) = 0.30, p = 0.043), as well as between the total PCL-5 score and the Y-BOCS obsessive factor (r_s (43) = 0.30, p = 0.044). No significant associations were found between the scores of the BRS, CSI, and PCL-5 scales and the severity of the Y-BOCS when considering gender differences.

This study identified four key factors associated with the severity of OCD: resilience level, seeking social support as a coping strategy, avoidance behaviors, and trauma-related symptoms. These findings highlight additional elements that may influence patients' treatment responses, quality of life, and overall prognosis.