title: The effect of trauma on the severity of obsessive-compulsive spectrum symptoms: A meta-analysis.
abstract: It is important to consider trauma-related sequelae in the etiology and maintenance of psychopathology, namely understudied disorders such as those belonging to the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum (OCS). This meta-analysis examined the association between past trauma exposure and current severity of OCS disorder symptoms. A systematic literature search was conducted with 24 (N=4557) articles meeting inclusion criteria. A significant overall effect size was obtained (r=0.20), indicating that exposure to past trauma is associated with a higher severity of OCS symptoms, with a stronger association for females (β=0.01, p<.001) but not varying as a function of relationship status. Four types of interpersonal trauma (violence, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect) were associated with OCS symptom severity (r=0.19 -0.24) and past trauma was significantly associated with more severe compulsions (r=0.17), but not obsessions. Results suggest an important link between multiple types of past trauma exposure and OCS symptoms.
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa, United States. Electronic address: michelle-miller-2@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, United States.
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Brock
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003192:Compulsive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009770:Obsessive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Anxiety disorders; Meta-analysis; Obsessive-compulsive spectrum; Trauma