Self-esteem in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

Background:

Despite important relation between obsessive compulsive disorder and self esteem there is death of local data.

Method:

The present study was carried out in Jan-March 2008 on 64 patients suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder and 30 attendants (control group) attending psychiatric outpatient clinic at civil hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. on inclusion in study, individuals having obsessive compulsive disorder aged 18-70 years were asked to complete two questionnaires to measure self-esteem that measure different aspect of self esteem. a) the Urdu version of Rosenberg self-esteem scale and b) the Janis and Field Social Adequacy scale. Statistical analyses of the scores of the two self-esteem scales were performed.

Results:

The results of the present study demonstrate that patient with obsessive compulsive disorder suffer significant degree of lowered self-esteem Mean 51.4(SD 12.0)] than control group [Mean 94.1(SD 11.8)] on Janis and field scale. That means that patients suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder have low social adequacy as compare to normal people this was more in female who score low (mean 49.48) than man (mean 53.9). Similar results of statistically significant (p< .000) difference in of control (Mean19.33) & OCD patient (Mean 34.08) was revealed by Rosenberg self esteem scale. in this study both scales of self esteem assessment have high correlation (correlation coefficient = -0.55).

Conclusion:

The results of this study support the result of other study that there is a vicious cycle between low self-esteem and obsessive compulsive disorders. Low self-esteem makes individuals susceptible to develop obsessive compulsive disorder.