Impulsiveness in obsessive-compulsive patients.
Obsessive-compulsive patients with a history of poor impulse control were identified and compared with non-impulsive obsessive-compulsive patients. Although both groups reported comparable obsessive-compulsive symptoms, the impulsive group rated significantly higher on disturbances during childhood, which included learning problems, low frustration tolerance, poor interpersonal relationships and attention-seeking behaviour. The impulsive group also scored highly on the neuroticism scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and reported a higher incidence of somatic symptoms. It appears that poor impulse control was related to disturbances which had already manifested themselves during childhood, while the obsessive-compulsive disorder was superimposed at a later time.
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012917:Social Adjustment