Doubting love: identification and stigma towards relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder
Creators: name: McGrath, Kera O.
name: Lahey, Chelsea A.
name: Fawcett, Emily J.
name: Fawcett, Jonathan M.
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Cancer
subject: Science Policy

description: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a clinically heterogeneous condition with a variety of symptom dimensions. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of university students and the lay public to identify a lesser-known theme of obsessive-compulsive symptoms known as relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCD) and to examine factors that impact identification and stigma of this symptom subtype. A total of 258 participants (<i>M</i> = 24.1 years, <i>SD</i> = 7.61) completed an online survey. A series of clinical vignettes depicted hypothetical characters with ROCD, varied by symptom presentation (partner-focused, relationship-centred) and gender (female, male), as well as a contamination OCD vignette for comparison purposes. As expected, participants showed significantly higher misidentification rates for ROCD (88.3%) compared to the contamination vignettes (28.7%). ROCD was most often misidentified as relationship issues and worry. Although partner-focused ROCD was not misidentified more frequently than relationship-centred ROCD, partner-focused vignettes were significantly more stigmatised than relationship-centred vignettes as predicted (with the male, partner-focused vignette most stigmatised). High levels of misidentification of ROCD may contribute to the existing lag between OCD symptom onset and proper treatment, emphasising the need for greater education and media focus on the heterogeneity of OCD. <b>What is already known about this topic:</b>Relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCD) is a relatively newly identified OCD subtype, which involves intrusive and ego-dystonic doubts related to a range of interpersonal relationships.ROCD has two main presentations: relationship-centred (doubts about the relationship itself) and partner-focused (doubts about the partner’s perceived flaws).Stigmatizing attitudes from the public and self-stigma have been identified as treatment barriers, exacerbating the pre-existing gap between the onset of OCD symptoms and receiving appropriate treatment. Relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCD) is a relatively newly identified OCD subtype, which involves intrusive and ego-dystonic doubts related to a range of interpersonal relationships. ROCD has two main presentations: relationship-centred (doubts about the relationship itself) and partner-focused (doubts about the partner’s perceived flaws). Stigmatizing attitudes from the public and self-stigma have been identified as treatment barriers, exacerbating the pre-existing gap between the onset of OCD symptoms and receiving appropriate treatment. <b>What this topic adds:</b>The results of this study demonstrated that ROCD vignettes are more likely to be misidentified and stigmatized by participants than contamination vignettes, consistent with past literature on taboo thoughts in OCD.Partner-focused ROCD symptom presentations were significantly more stigmatized than relationship-centred ROCD presentations.ROCD was most-often misattributed to worry, relationship problems, a phobia, or no disorder, resulting in the potential for ROCD to be overlooked as a substantive psychiatric condition. The results of this study demonstrated that ROCD vignettes are more likely to be misidentified and stigmatized by participants than contamination vignettes, consistent with past literature on taboo thoughts in OCD. Partner-focused ROCD symptom presentations were significantly more stigmatized than relationship-centred ROCD presentations. ROCD was most-often misattributed to worry, relationship problems, a phobia, or no disorder, resulting in the potential for ROCD to be overlooked as a substantive psychiatric condition.