Cross‐Cultural Phenomenology of Obsessive‐Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a phenomenologically heterogeneous disorder, and it has become increasingly important to understand symptom presentations cross-culturally. This chapter details differences and similarities in OCD symptoms in Western, Middle Eastern, Jewish, Hispanic, Asian, and other cultures. Research literature from several countries with distinct cultural backgrounds was systematically searched and reviewed, with critical points compiled and highlighted. Notable differences were found across cultures in symptom expression, obsessive cognitions, cultural influences on behavior, ritualistic beliefs, treatment-seeking behavior, and other issues. Differences included symptoms surrounding thought control, the relationship between beliefs, and cleaning and checking compulsions. Highly religious cultures emphasized purity, cleanliness, and religion as well as thought control, morality, and sexuality. Findings indicate that a culturally-informed approach may be needed to best understand the relationship between culture and OCD. Future research is needed to further explain and understand these differences.

Cite this work

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 60 citations exist upstream.

Papers that cite the same references — the relational fallback while embeddings are still backfilling.