Expressed Emotions in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Social factors are recognised to play an important role in Obsessive compulsive Disorder. There is some evidence that expressed emotions may be high in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. However, no study has looked at the concept of Expressed Emotions in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in India. In the current study, 35 patients diagnosed as OCD according to ICD-10 DCR were assessed for Expressed Emotions using Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale. The OCD patients had an increased score on expressed emotions with an increase in both subscales of perceived criticism and emotional involvement, as compared to the normative data suggested by the developers of the scale. There was no significant correlation between scores on these scales and YBOCS, duration of illness or age. The relevance of these factors in the pathogenesis and maintenance of the illness, and as predictive variables to therapy, needs to be explored.