Religiosity and Stress as Predictors of Severity of OCD, and Difference in Marital Adjustment of OCD and Non-OCD Individuals

Abstract

Objective: To find the determinants of severity of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in OCD patients and to assess the difference in the Marital Adjustment among OCD and Non-OCD Individuals.

Design: Cross-sectional Research Design

Place and Duration of the study: Department of Psychology, GC University, Lahore, from September 2015 to August 2016.

Subjects and Methods: The sample consisted of 120 individuals (Men=60 and Women=60). Out of which, 60 individuals were diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and they were compared with 60 individuals having no history of psychiatric illness. Measures of Clarke-Beck Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, Short Muslim Practice and Belief Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Marital Adjustment Test and demographic data sheet were used.

Results: Significant correlations were found between stress and severity of the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (r=.557, p<.001) and between religiosity and severity of the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (r=.732, p<.001). Results of the Step-wise regression analysis supported our hypothesis model, as stress and religiosity appeared to be the significant predictors of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (R²=.58). Mean difference in the marital adjustment scores indicated that OCD patients had significantly lower marital adjustment than the non-Patient sample.

Conclusion: Religiosity and stress appeared to significantly determine the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The results suggest that working on the religiosity and stress of OCD patients may improve the chances of their prognosis of illness.