Correlates of insight into different symptom dimensions in obsessive-compulsive disorder

BACKGROUND: In this study, we evaluated insight into different obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom dimensions and their impact on clinical and sociodemographic features of patients with OCD.METHODS: Sixty OCD patients were assessed with the Brown Assessment of Beliefs Scale (BABS), the Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale-Short Version, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Sheehan Disability Scale. Two methods of using BABS were employed: 1) a traditional approach, which considers a composite of the insight into existing OCD symptoms, and 2) an alternative approach, which includes assessments of insight into each OCD symptom dimension separately.RESULTS: Composite BABS scores correlated with global severity of OCD and depressive symptoms, and degree of interference on social life/leisure activities and family life/home responsibilities. Dimension-specific correlations between severity of symptoms and insight ranged from very high (P = .87, for hoarding) to moderate (P = .61, for miscellaneous symptoms). Greater severity of depression and concomitant generalized anxiety disorder were independently associated with lower levels of insight into aggressive/checking symptoms. While earlier-onset OCD was associated with lower insight into sexual/religious and symmetry symptoms, later-onset OCD displayed lower insight into hoarding.CONCLUSIONS: Assessing insight into dimension-specific OCD symptoms may challenge the existence of clear-cut OCD with fair or poor insight.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)D'Or Institute for Research and EducationUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Psychiat, Anxiety & Depress Res Program, Rio De Janeiro, BrazilUniv Melbourne, Melbourne Neuropsychiat Ctr, Melbourne, Vic, AustraliaUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Psychiat, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Fluminense, Inst Community Hlth, Dept Psychiat & Mental Hlth, Rio De Janeiro, BrazilDOr Inst Res & Educ, Rio De Janeiro, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Psychiat, Sao Paulo, BrazilFAPERJ: E-26/111.176/2011FAPERJ: E-26/103.252/2011CNPq: 303846/2008-9Web of Scienc