OBJECT: This study was devised to examine the demographic characteristics, behaviors, psychopathology and associated crimes of stalking offenders. METHODS: It concerned 50 stalking offenders referred to the National Forensic Psychiatric Hospital for the forensic evaluation. RESULTS: Most of the stalking offenders were men(78.0%, N=39), and many were unemployed(74.0%, N=37),;70.0%(N=35) had lived alone and they committed the serious crime. Victims included the colleagues or acquaintances(48.0%, N=24), past intimate persons(22.0%, N=11), stars or celebrities(16.0%, N=8), and strangers(14.0%, N=7). The duration of stalking was from 2 month to 20 years (mean= 37.7 month). Three types of stalking offenders were: love obsessional type, delusional type and revenge type. Delusional disorder(40.0%, N=20) was the most frequent, and the next frequent was schizophrenia(22.0%, N=11). CONCLUSION: Most stalking offenders found single and socially isolated male, and tend to attack the victim directly or indirectly. Appropriate legal and therapeutic interventions are necessary in order to prevent such serious crime as stalking.
Crime ; Criminals* ; Delusions ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Love ; Male ; Obsessive Behavior ; Psychopathology ; Stalking*

No abstract available.
Obsessive Behavior* ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder*

OBJECTIVE: The Revised Obsessive Intrusion Inventory (ROII) is a 52-item scale that evaluates obsessional intrusive thoughts. The aim of the present study was to validate a short, 20-item Korean version of the ROII (ROII-20). METHODS: Of the 1125 participants who completed the ROII-20, 895 participants completed the scale to examine the factor structure of the scale. A subgroup of these participants (n=53) completed the scale twice to determine test-retest reliability. To establish external validity, 230 participants completed the scale and other questionnaires. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analyses suggested a hierarchical model comprising two higher order factors of autogenous obsessions (resulting from aggressive thoughts and sexual thoughts) and reactive obsessions (resulting from thoughts about contamination, thoughts about accidents, and thoughts about dirt). Confirmatory factor analyses supported this model. The results indicated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. External validity was supported by relationships with obsessive-compulsive symptoms and general distress. CONCLUSION: The ROII-20 presents good psychometric properties and may be considered as a promising instrument for measuring obsessional intrusions.
Obsessive Behavior ; Psychometrics* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: There has been no study in the literature evaluating total blood count in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Therefore, we performed the present study to spesifically measure serum total blood count particularly white blood cells to see whether or not its eventual alterations might have an etiopathogenetic significance in patients with OCD. METHODS: Total blood count was measured in thirty patients and same number of healthy controls. Additionally, all patients were assessed by Yale-Brown Obsession Compulsion Scale (Y-BOCS). RESULTS: Except for neutrophil count, there were no significant differences between the groups regarding any haematological parameter. The mean neutrophil count of the patient group was lower compared to that of the control subjects. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the present study suggests that neutrophil count is reduced in pure OCD patients and this finding may contribute to the role of immunological factors in the pathogenesis of OCD.
Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; Leukocytes ; Neutrophils ; Obsessive Behavior ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

OBJECTIVE: Although several self-report versions of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) have been developed and used widely, few psychometric studies have established the construct validity of this measure. Therefore, we developed Korean self-report version of the Y-BOCS and evaluated its factor structure, reliability, and validity. METHODS: A non-clinical student sample (n=206) and a clinical OCD sample (n=199) completed the Korean self-report version and other measures of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and anxiety. RESULTS: Consistent with the originally proposed structure, confirmatory factor analyses supported a factor structure comprised of Obsessions and Compulsions factors in the Korean self-report version. Two subscale scores and the total score of the Korean self-report version showed good internal consistency and convergent validity, but relatively poor discriminant validity. Applying a cutoff score of 16, 84% of OCD patients and 93% of the non-clinical sample were classified correctly. CONCLUSION: Korean self-report version of the Y-BOCS is a psychometrically sound and valid measure for assessing OCD symptoms as compared with the clinician-administered version. The originally proposed division of OCD severity into obsessions and compulsions appears accurate in the Korean self-report version. The cutoff score for the Korean self-report version needs adjustment based on further researches.
Depression ; Humans ; Obsessive Behavior ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder ; Psychometrics

OBJECTIVES: A great deal of attention has been paid to comorbid personality disorders in obsessive-compulsive disorder not only from the theoretical perspectives but also from the clinical aspects related to the prediction of the treatment response. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relations of the symptoms dimensions in OCD to the comorbid personality pathology. METHODS: One-hundred thirty subjects with OCD completed Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) and Personality Disorder Questionnaire-4+ (PDQ-4+). Factor scores of symptom dimensions yielded from a factor analysis of 13 categories in YBOCS symptom checklist were inspected how to be related with the presence of any personality disorder and the PDQ scores for cluster A, B, and C personality pathology. RESULTS: The PDQ total score was significantly correlated with aggressive/sexual/religious obsessions, hoarding, and symmetry/ordering dimensions. The hoarding and repeating/counting dimensions were correlated with cluter A pathology, the symmetry/ordering dimension was with cluster B pathology, while the obsessions dimension was globally related to personality disorders of all the clusters. CONCLUSION: These findings add the evidence of the heterogeneity of OCD. The presence of pure obsessions, hoarding, and symmetry/ordering dimensions may need a close screening for comorbid personality disorders and individualized therapeutic strategies.
Checklist ; Mass Screening ; Obsessive Behavior ; Obsessive Hoarding ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder* ; Pathology* ; Personality Disorders ; Population Characteristics

OBJECTIVES: Non-completion rate of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) was reported to be higher than expected and it could interfere with the effectiveness of treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of treatment non-completion and to compare the effectiveness of CBT for OCD between completers and non-completers. METHODS: We studied 107 patients with a principal diagnosis of OCD who initiated a 13-week CBT for OCD from June 2004 to June 2011. Demographic and clinical characteristics, psychiatric co-morbidity, and medication of 20 participants who did not complete therapy were compared with those of treatment completers (n=87). Clinical Global Impression scores were also compared between the two groups in order to evaluate the effect of CBT for OCD at the 13th week. RESULTS: The results showed a difference in marital status between treatment completers and non-completers : more non-completers were not married (p=0.04). Patients with aggressive obsessions at baseline showed a trend (p=0.06) toward lower treatment completion than those with only non-aggressive obsession. In addition, the non-completer group showed a trend of not being medicated (p=0.08). No other differences were observed between completers and non-completers. The 13th week Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scores were significantly different ; completers (2.5+/-0.8) and non-completers (3.2+/-0.8) (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In this study, we confirmed that CBT could affect symptom improvement of OCD and treatment non-completion interfered with effectiveness of CBT. However, in the current state of our knowledge, no factor is clinically applicable as a predictor of treatment non-completion. Therefore, these results suggest that clinicians should monitor compliance during CBT for OCD patients.
Cognitive Therapy* ; Compliance* ; Diagnosis ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Obsessive Behavior ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder*

OBJECTIVE: Although obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has long been a unitary diagnosis, there is much recent interest in its potential heterogeneity, as manifested by symptom subgroups. Although the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) is a widely used instrument to assess obsessive-compulsive symptomatology, the variables reflecting the pathogenesis of OCD and Y-BOCS subscores usually were not significantly associated. The aims of this study are to clarify identification of dimensional structure of the symptoms from YBOCS checklist and to explore the factor structure of the Y-BOCS. METHODS: Ninety five OCD patients participated in this study and performed the Y-BOCS and Y-BOCS checklist. The 13 main symptom categories from Y-BOCS checklist and 10 items from Y-BOCS were factor analyzed by using principal components analysis, respectively. RESULTS: Using principal component analysis, we derived 4 factors from 13 main contents of YBOCS checklist. Four factors-hoarding/repeating, contamination/cleaning, aggressive/sexual, and religious/somatic- accounted for more than 60% of the variance. And we derived 3 factors from 10 items of Y-BOCS and these 3 factors-severity of obsession, severity of compulsion, and resistance to symptoms-accounted for more than 70% of variance. CONCLUSIONS: The four symptom dimensions from Y-BOCS checklist and three symptom dimensions from Y-BOCS were identified as significant factors accounting for the variance. These factors may be of value in future genetic, neurobiological, and treatment response studies.
Checklist* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Obsessive Behavior ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder ; Population Characteristics ; Principal Component Analysis

BACKGROUND: Smoking is a very dangerous behavior and people know that it will lead to fatal health problems. But, many people continue to smoke. We studied psychiatric aspect of smoking. METHODS: We distributed self-questionnaire to people who visited Dong-San Medical Hospital for periodical examination and checkups between the months of April and June, 1996. It consisted of inquiries on their smoking status and symptom check list for minor psychiatric disorders(SCL-MPD). Among the total of 147 men 58 were current smokers, 63 non-smokers, 26 ex-smokers. We compared minor psychiatric differences between each groups by Student t-test. RESULTS: The mean age of current smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers were 44.9 +/-8.9, 44.8+/-8.4 and 46.6+/-9.6, respectively. Among 10 dimensions of SCL-MPD, the smokers (includes current smokers and ex-smokers) had significantly higher scores on anger-hostility, interpersonal sensitivity and obsessive-compulsive dimensions than those of non-smokers(p<0.05). When comparing with current smokers and non-smokers, current smokers had significantly higher scores on anger-hostility and obsessive-compulsive dimensions(p<0.05). Between ex-smokers and non-smokers, ex-smokers had significantly higher scores on anger-hostility and obsessive-compulsive dimensions(.p<0.05). But, no significant differences were observed between current smokers and ex-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Smokers(current smokers and ex-smokers) were highly associated with anger-hostility, interpersonal sensitivity and obsessive-compulsive disorders compared to non-smokers. But, no minor psychiatric differences were observed between current smokers and ex-smokers.
Dangerous Behavior ; Humans ; Male ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

Obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD) is characterized by recurrent obsessions or compulsions causing marked distress. The lifetime prevalence of OCD in general population is estimated about 2~3%. OCD can usually be distinguished from psychosis by the facts that the patients recognize the irrational nature of the symptoms. OCD is also different from obsessive-compulsive personality in that the patients suffer from obsessions and compulsions which accompany marked distress. The etiology of OCD is not know yet. However, numerous studies suggest that OCD may be associated with several psychological and neurobiological factors such as functional abnormalities of cortico-striatal circuit and serotonin. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRI) are the first-line drugs for the treatmemt of OCD. Approximately 50~80% of OCD patients improved with these anti-obsessional drugs with average reduction in symptoms between 30~70%. Benefits may not appear for 2 or more weeks. Continuing a medication for more than 10 weeks is required to determine the anti-obsessional efficacy. Maintenance treatment is usually required for more than several months. Cognitive-behavioral therapy also proved to be effective, particularly for patients with prominent compulsions. Therefore, it is a logical choice to combine pharmacotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy. For extreme cases electroconvulsive therapy(ECT) or stereotaxic neurosurgery may be considered. However, at present, neurosurgery is recommended only for a few patients who remained severely disabled even after years of sufficient treatments.
Compulsive Personality Disorder ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Logic ; Neurosurgery ; Obsessive Behavior ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder* ; Prevalence ; Psychotic Disorders ; Serotonin