Frequency of obsessive-compulsive symptoms after childbirthand comorbidities with depressive and anxiety symptoms

Poslijeporođajno razdoblje predstavlja izazovno vrijeme s intenzivnim emocionalnim doživljajima, fizičkim promjenama i prilagodbama za obitelj. U tom razdoblju postoji povećan rizik za razvoj psihičkih poremećaja, uključujući opsesivno-kompulzivni poremećaj (OKP). Opsesije su neželjene, nametljive i uporne misli, slike ili porivi koji uzrokuju anksioznost, dok su kompulzije nesavladiva ponavljajuća ponašanja ili psihičke aktivnosti kojima osoba pokušava ublažiti nelagodu i anksioznost. Istraživanja ukazuju na čestu pojavu blagih do umjerenih opsesivno-kompulzivnih simptoma kod žena nakon porođaja uz rjeđe slučaje težih oblika OKP-a. Njihova prisutnost može narušiti kvalitetu života cijele obitelji i imati dugoročne negativne posljedice na odnos majke i djeteta te razvoj djeteta. Stoga je važno rano prepoznavanje problema i pravodobno uključivanje u terapijski tretman. Za mjerenje težine opsesivno-kompulzivnih simptoma najčešće se koristi Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) koja još nije validirana na hrvatskom jeziku. Uz opsesivno-kompulzivne simptome često se pojavljuje depresivnost i anksioznost. Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati učestalost opsesivno-kompulzivnih simptoma i povezanost opsesivno-kompulzivnih simptoma s depresivnosti i anksioznosti. Ispitane su psihometrijske karakteristike (faktorska struktura i pouzdanost) hrvatske verzije Y-BOCS koje su se pokazale zadovoljavajućima. Prevalencija opsesivno-kompulzivnih simptoma na uzorku 190 žena nakon porođaja iznosila je 13% uz većinski blage simptome. Povezanost između opsesivno-kompulzivnih simptoma, depresivnosti i anksioznosti kod žena nakon porođaja pokazala se umjereno značajnom i pozitivnom.The postpartum period represents a challenging time with intense emotional experiences, physical changes, and family adaptations. During this period, there is an increased risk of developing mental disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive, and persistent thoughts, images, or urges that cause anxiety, while compulsions are uncontrollable repetitive behaviours or mental activities aimed at alleviating discomfort and anxiety. Research indicates a frequent occurrence of mild to moderate obsessive-compulsive symptoms in women after childbirth, with fewer cases of severe OCD. Their presence can negatively impact the quality of life for the entire family and have long-term consequences on the mother-child relationship and child development. Therefore, early recognition of these problems and timely involvement in therapeutic treatment are crucial. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is commonly used to measure the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms but has not yet been validated in the Croatian language. Depressive and anxious symptoms often co-occur with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and their association with depression and anxiety. The psychometric characteristics (factor structure and reliability) of the Croatian version of the Y-BOCS were examined and found to be satisfactory. The prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in a sample of 190 postpartum women was 13%, with predominantly mild symptoms. A positive and moderately significant correlation was observed between obsessive-compulsive symptoms, depression, and anxiety among postpartum women