title: Use of factor analysis to detect potential phenotypes in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
abstract: This study aimed to identify symptom dimensions in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in order to reveal distinct clinical phenotypes. Factor analysis of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) checklist on item level was performed on data from 335 outpatients with primary OCD. The relationship of demographic and clinical characteristics to the resulting factor scores was examined. A principal component analysis identified the following five consistent symptom dimensions: (1) contamination and cleaning, (2) aggressive, sexual and religious obsessions, (3) somatic obsessions and checking, (4) symmetry and counting/arranging compulsions and (5) high-risk assessment and checking. We observed significant differences in sex distribution, age of onset, Y-BOCS scores and familial prevalence of OCD in relation to the symptom dimensions. These findings provide further evidence for distinct clinical phenotypes in OCD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, HP B.01.206, PO Box 85500, GA Utrecht 3508, The Netherlands. D.A.J.P.denys@azu.nl
authors.forename: Damiaan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Denys
authors.forename: Femke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Geus
authors.forename: Harold J G M
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: van Megen
authors.forename: Herman G M
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Westenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010641:Phenotype; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results