Childhood trauma in obsessive-compulsive disorder, trichotillomania, and controls.
There is relatively little data on the link between childhood trauma and obsessive-compulsive/putative obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. The revised Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), which assesses physical, emotional, and sexual abuse as well as physical and emotional neglect, was administered to female patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; n = 74; age: 36.1 plus minus 16.3), TTM (n = 36; age: 31.8 plus minus 12.3), and a group of normal controls (n = 31; age: 21.5 plus minus 1.0). The findings showed a significantly greater severity of childhood trauma in general, and emotional neglect specifically, in the patient groups compared to the controls. Although various factors may play a role in the etiology of both OCD and trichotillomania (TTM), this study is consistent with some evidence from previous studies suggesting that childhood trauma may play a role in the development of these disorders.
Lochner
Christine
C
MRC Unit on Stress and Anxiety Disorders, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa. cl2@gerga.sun.ac.za
du Toit
Pieter L
PL
Zungu-Dirwayi
Nompumelelo
N
Marais
Adele
A
van Kradenburg
Jeanine
J
Seedat
Soraya
S
Niehaus
Dana J H
DJ
Stein
Dan J
DJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors; D014256:Trichotillomania / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*