(PS7-2) A Preliminary Analysis of Obsessive-compulsive Symptom Presentation by Age and Country in a Multi-national Latino Sample

Abstract Text: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a heterogeneous condition, characterized by disruptive and repetitive thoughts, urges, and behaviors. Previous research suggests that the presentation of obsessive-compulsive symptoms may vary across certain demographics, such as different age and cultural groups (Berman et al., 2020; Olson et al., 2019). For example, cross-cultural studies have demonstrated that the content of obsessions may differ across cultural contexts (Berman et al., 2020; Hunt 2020). Early onset of OCD has also been linked to specific symptom dimensions and compulsive behaviors. However, studies examining how age-related differences impact OCD presentation remain limited and yield inconsistent findings. The present study sought to investigate the extent to which the content and frequency of obsessive-compulsive symptoms vary across different age groups and countries within Latin America.

Data were utilized from the Latin American Trans-ancestry INitiative for OCD Genomics (LATINO), a large-scale multi-site study. The sample included 3,299 participants from the U.S. and Latin America who identify as Latino or Hispanic and currently experience or have had obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Participants ages ranged from 18-86 (M= 30.49, SD= 11.83). The severity and content of obsessive-compulsive symptoms were assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, Second Edition (Y-BOCS-II), a widely used, semi-structured clinician-administered measure. To analyze the data, a chi square contingency analysis was performed.

Preliminary results suggest that there are statistically significant differences in obsessive-compulsive symptom types across the different countries included in the study sample. Participants in Argentina (57.4%) experienced a statistically significant (p < .002) smaller proportion of somatic obsessions (71.2 - 88.2%) and hoarding compulsions (56.6 - 67.76%). While those in Bolivia (67.7%), however, had a statistically significant (p < .002) higher proportion of hoarding compulsions (44.9 - 56.6%) and cleaning compulsions (47.5 - 65.7%) in comparison to other Latin American countries. The present study adds to a growing body of work emphasizing heterogeneity in OCD symptom/ theme presentations in a large, multi-national sample of Latin American individuals. These findings can be used to inform more culturally sensitive assessment methods and conceptualizations when working with diverse populations.