The PERSIAN Cohort: Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders Among Employees.

BACKGROUND: Considering the impact of psychiatric disorders on the productivity of individuals and society's economy, we aimed to determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among the employees of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1282 employees of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 2019. The required data were collected by trained psychologists using Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). In this process, psychiatric disorders were considered dependent variables, and demographic variables as independent variables. The relationship between independent and dependent variables was assessed using the chi-square test and Binary logistic regression in Stata version 17. RESULTS: The prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among employees was 14.12%, 12.48%, and 3.9%, respectively. The prevalence of GAD in women was significantly higher than men (17.06% vs. 10.02%, P<0.001). The prevalence of GAD was 42.86%, 15.97%, 13.49%, and 16.67 in widowed, single, married, and divorced employees, respectively (P=0.016). The prevalence of MDD in women was significantly higher than men (16.59% vs. 7.64%, P<0.001). The prevalence of MDD was 16.3%, 11.2%, 9.6%, and 8.56% in employees with Bachelor's, Associate, Master's degree, and High school diploma, respectively (P=0.009). CONCLUSION: Considering the relatively high prevalence of GAD and MDD among the employees of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, strengthening counseling centers in the university and encouraging employees to participate in these centers, and examining them in terms of mental health help identify people at risk of mental disorders in time and provide counseling services to these people.

Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Obsession with COVID-19 among Older Adults.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, older people were socially isolated for their protection against the virus impacting their mental health. Aiming to explore the role of loneliness and social isolation in the obsession with COVID-19 among older adults, we conducted an anonymous online survey with 300 older adults aged 65-80 years in South Korea between January and February 2023. The survey collected demographic information, past psychiatric history, medical disease, current psychological distress, and experiences related to COVID-19. Rating scales were the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS), Coronavirus Reassurance-seeking Behaviors Scale (CRBS), Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-6 items (SAVE-6), and Loneliness and Social Isolation Scale (LSIS). The regression analysis revealed that CRBS (ß = 0.55, p < 0.001) and SAVE-6 (ß = 0.34, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of obsession with COVID-19 (adjusted R2 = 0.63, F = 126.9, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis showed that loneliness and social isolation had a positive total effect on obsession with COVID-19, mediated by reassurance-seeking behavior and viral anxiety (Standardized Estimator = 0.21, standard error = 0.05, p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval 0.20-0.41). Loneliness and social isolation were found to be indirectly linked to obsession with COVID-19 through reassurance-seeking behavior and viral anxiety. The findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness and social isolation among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent obsession with COVID-19.

[Primary prevention of computer game addiction in students of educational institutions]. / Pervichnaya profilaktika komp'yuternoi igrovoi zavisimosti u uchashchikhsya obshcheobrazovatel'nykh uchrezhdenii.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct the primary prevention of computer game addiction (PPCGA) in students of General education institutions (GEI), aimed at preventing the formation of CGA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 488 students in grades 7-10 of GEI aged 12-17 years (14.6±2.4 years), of which 393 adolescents, who made up the main group, received PPCGA and 95 - control, without PPCGA. RESULTS: Preventive measures were carried out without interrupting the educational process; they were carried out by addiction psychiatrists and medical psychologists. PPCGA was aimed at teaching students a healthy lifestyle, the development of their personal resources, the formation of skills to overcome problem situations, a change in the value attitude to computer games and the formation of alternative interests. In the main group, a decrease in the time interval spent by students at the computer was found (p<0.05). There was a decrease in the number of students (p<0.05), experiencing affective disorders when abstaining from the computer, including mild depression and subclinically expressed anxiety/depression, for whom computer games could lead to problems and negative consequences. An increase in the interval of time spent by students at the computer (p<0.05); an increase in the number of students experiencing affective disorders when abstaining from the computer (p<0.05); a trend towards the increase in the frequency of problems and delayed meetings and personal matters related to spending time at the computer; an increase in clearly uncommunicative (p<0.05) were found in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Primary prevention of computer gaming increase the number of students who prefer a healthy lifestyle (physical education and sports, rational nutrition, sex education, family relationships) and reduce the number of people who prefer computer games as a form of leisure.

Psychometric Validation of the Portuguese Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (PT-OCS).

The psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Portuguese population are quite relevant and partially related to their repetitive and disruptive thinking about the disease. The successive periods of lockdown contributed to an additional burden on the family-work-life balance for parents. This study aims to validate the Portuguese version of the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (PT-OCS), which was developed using a general sample from several regions of the country (n = 531) together with a specific sample of Portuguese parents (n = 109). The confirmatory factor analysis results indicate that the PT-OCS includes a set of excellent psychometric properties concerning both the general sample (χ2(1) = 0.446, p = 0.504; CFI = 1.0; GFI = 1.0; RMSEA = 0.0; standardised RMR = 0.003) and the parent group (χ2(2) = 1.816, p = 0.403; CFI = 1.0; GFI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.0; standardised RMR = 0.016; Bollen-Stine bootstrap p = 0.65). The scale shows very good reliability (0.84 < α/ω < 0.88). As expected, obsession with COVID-19 was highly correlated with COVID-19 anxiety, and women had higher PT-OCS scores. The findings suggest that the PT-OCS is a reliable and valid measure for both persistent and disruptive thinking about COVID-19 in different groups of the Portuguese population, with potential for studying future epidemic events.

COVID-19-related anxiety and obsession levels in stroke patients and family caregivers and their effects on caregiver burden.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to describe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related dysfunctional anxiety and thinking in patients with stroke and caregivers who are family members and their effects on caregiver burden. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 79 stroke patients and their primary caregivers who were hospitalised in a tertiary rehabilitation hospital. Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) and Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) were used to assess the levels of COVID-19-related dysfunctional anxiety and obsession of the patients and their caregivers. Caregiver burden was assessed via the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). RESULTS: In the patients with stroke, COVID-19-related anxiety and COVID-19-related obsession rates were 13.9% (n = 11) and 7.6% (n = 6), respectively, while 17.7% (n = 14) of caregiver family members had COVID-19-related anxiety and 11.4% (n = 9) had COVID-19-related obsession. The CAS score of caregivers showed a significant positive correlation with the CAS and OCS scores of patients (p = 0.000, r = 0.423; p = 0.007, r = 0.300, respectively). The OCS score of caregivers showed a significant positive correlation with the OCS scores of the patients (p = 0.000, r = 0.476). The mean ZBI score of caregiver family members was 31.9 ± 13.5. A significant positive correlation was observed between the caregiver's OCS and CAS scores and ZBI scores (p = 0.002, r = -0.349; p = 0.004, r = 0.323, respectively). CONCLUSION: In this study, a significant relationship between caregiver burden and COVID-19-related anxiety and obsession in the caregivers of stroke patients was identified. Therefore, caregivers of stroke patients should not be forgotten during pandemics and should receive physical and psychological support.

"Consumed by creed": Obsessive-compulsive symptoms underpin ideological obsession and support for political violence.

Radicalization is a process by which individuals are introduced to an ideological belief system that encourages political, religious, or social change through the use of violence. Here we formulate an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) model of radicalization that links obsessive passion (OP; one of the best predictors of radical intentions) to a larger body of clinical research. The model's central tenet is that individual differences in OCD symptom severity could shape radical intentions via their influence on OP. Across four ideological samples in the United States (Environmental activists, Republicans, Democrats, and Muslims, Ntotal = 1114), we found direct effects between OCD symptom severity and radical intentions, as well as indirect effects of OCD on radical intentions via OP. Even after controlling for potential individual difference and clinical confounds (e.g., adverse childhood experiences, loss of significance, and substance abuse), these relationships remained robust, implying that OCD plays a significant role in the formation of violent ideological intentions and opening new avenues for the treatment and prevention of violent extremism. We discuss the implications of conceptualizing radicalization as an OCD-like disorder with compulsive violent tendencies and ideology-related concerns.

Clinical features in co-occuring obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) frequently co-occurs with various psychiatric conditions and may impact as many as one-fifth of individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD). Despite the expanding body of literature on the coexistence of OCD and BD, there is a notable lack of comprehensive data pertaining to the distinct features of obsessive-compulsive symptoms that define this comorbidity. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, and PsycINFO until August 7th, 2023. We performed random-effects meta-analyses to compare individuals with both OCD and BD to those with OCD in terms of OCD symptomatology as well as the specific categories of obsessions and compulsions. Out of the 10,393 records initially screened, 17 studies were ultimately incorporated into the qualitative assessment, with 15 of them being included in the quantitative analysis. Individuals with OCD and BD experienced fewer lifetime contamination obsessions (OR=0.71; 95 %CI=0.53, 0.95; p = 0.021) and more sexual obsessions (OR=1.77; 95 %CI=1.03, 3.04; p = 0.04) compared to individuals with OCD without BD. No significant difference was observed for other types of obsessions or compulsions or for the severity of OCD symptoms, although BD type may play a role according to meta-regression analyses. The detection of the presence of sexual or contamination obsessions through a detailed interview may be the focus of clinical attention when assessing OCD in the context of comorbid BD. Sub-phenotyping complex clinical presentation of comorbid psychiatric disorders can aid in making more informed decisions when choosing an appropriate treatment approach.

User-Centered Development of STOP (Successful Treatment for Paranoia): Material Development and Usability Testing for a Digital Therapeutic for Paranoia.

BACKGROUND: Paranoia is a highly debilitating mental health condition. One novel intervention for paranoia is cognitive bias modification for paranoia (CBM-pa). CBM-pa comes from a class of interventions that focus on manipulating interpretation bias. Here, we aimed to develop and evaluate new therapy content for CBM-pa for later use in a self-administered digital therapeutic for paranoia called STOP ("Successful Treatment of Paranoia"). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to (1) take a user-centered approach with input from living experts, clinicians, and academics to create and evaluate paranoia-relevant item content to be used in STOP and (2) engage with living experts and the design team from a digital health care solutions company to cocreate and pilot-test the STOP mobile app prototype. METHODS: We invited 18 people with living or lived experiences of paranoia to create text exemplars of personal, everyday emotionally ambiguous scenarios that could provoke paranoid thoughts. Researchers then adapted 240 suitable exemplars into corresponding intervention items in the format commonly used for CBM training and created 240 control items for the purpose of testing STOP. Each item included newly developed, visually enriching graphics content to increase the engagement and realism of the basic text scenarios. All items were then evaluated for their paranoia severity and readability by living experts (n=8) and clinicians (n=7) and for their item length by the research team. Items were evenly distributed into six 40-item sessions based on these evaluations. Finalized items were presented in the STOP mobile app, which was co-designed with a digital health care solutions company, living or lived experts, and the academic team; user acceptance was evaluated across 2 pilot tests involving living or lived experts. RESULTS: All materials reached predefined acceptable thresholds on all rating criteria: paranoia severity (intervention items: ≥1; control items: ≤1, readability: ≥3, and length of the scenarios), and there was no systematic difference between the intervention and control group materials overall or between individual sessions within each group. For item graphics, we also found no systematic differences in users' ratings of complexity (P=.68), attractiveness (P=.15), and interest (P=.14) between intervention and control group materials. User acceptance testing of the mobile app found that it is easy to use and navigate, interactive, and helpful. CONCLUSIONS: Material development for any new digital therapeutic requires an iterative and rigorous process of testing involving multiple contributing groups. Appropriate user-centered development can create user-friendly mobile health apps, which may improve face validity and have a greater chance of being engaging and acceptable to the target end users.

Smartphone obsession linked behavioural changes among Indian adolescents.

The best technological gifts of the 21st century are mobile phones, which are especially well-liked to adolescents. Infinite resources with numerous uses and applications are available on modern mobile devices. Adolescents have behavioral changes as a result of its excessive use. Therefore, it is of interest to explore the connection between smartphone obsession and potential behavioral changes. A School based, co relational study was conducted among 100 adolescents at selected schools at Tamil Nadu. Samples were selected by simple random sampling technique. Data were collected to assess the mobile addiction by using Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version (SVSAC) and Pediatric symptom checklist - 17was used to evaluate the behavioral changes. Collected data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. The Study shows that 52 adolescents had a high smartphone Obsession, in that 37 had negative behavioral changes due to overuse of the smart phone and also had slight positive correlation between smartphone obsession and behavioral changes. A significant relationship was seen between smart phone obsession with behavioral changes (p<0.001) among adolescents. The study concluded that smart phone obsession and behavioral changes having strong connection in adolescents was significantly associated with their behaviors.

Exploring the Dorian Gray Trait: Unveiling the Complexities of Perceived Aging and Self-Image.

The concept of the "Dorian Gray Trait," inspired by Oscar Wilde's renowned literary work, delves into the intricate interplay between self-perception, the fear of aging, and the pursuit of eternal youth. This article explores the psychological dimensions of this trait, wherein individuals harbor an intense preoccupation with maintaining their youthful appearance, often at the cost of their overall well-being. By examining the underlying factors that drive this phenomenon, including societal pressures and personal anxieties, we aim to shed light on the broader implications for mental health and self-image.

Assessment of Obsessive Thoughts About COVID-19 in 7 Latin American Countries: Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Obsession With COVID-19 Scale.

The present study aimed to evaluate the measurement invariance of the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) among seven Latin American countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Although the OCS has been used in several countries and languages, there is a need for approaches that better integrate the cross-cultural equivalence of the scale. A total of 3185 people participated in the study. The results indicated the presence of a unidimensional structure and good reliability indices for the OCS in each country. The alignment method indicated that the OCS is an invariant measure of COVID-19 obsession among the populations of seven Latin American countries. The findings based on IRT analysis indicated that all OCS items had adequate discrimination and difficulty parameters. The findings contribute to the understanding of the internal structure of the scale in different countries at the same time, something that has been pending evaluation.

The Relationship Between Fear and Anxiety Among Chinese Uninfected Residents During the Pandemic: A Conditional Process Analysis.

Background: This study aimed to explore the relationship between residents' COVID-19 fear and anxiety, consider whether this relationship is mediated through obsessions and the moderating role of self-efficacy on this mediating pathway. Methods: This study used an online questionnaire to obtain and assess fear, obsession, anxiety and self-efficacy in 1589 Chinese COVID-19 uninfected residents. A conditional process model was used to examine the relationships between variables. Results: Higher levels of fear were positively associated with obsession and anxiety. In addition, obsession was positively associated with anxiety, while self-efficacy attenuated the effect of fear on obsession and further mitigated the indirect effect of fear on anxiety through obsession. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 outbreak, uninfected residents suffered varying degrees of psychological distress. COVID-19 fear may have an effect on anxiety in COVID survivors through obsession, and self-efficacy as a protective factor for individual mental health partially attenuates the effect of COVID-19 fear on obsession and the indirect effect of fear on anxiety.

Structural Relationships between Learning Emotion and Knowledge Organization and Management Processes in Distance Learning Environments: "An Applied Study".

The widespread adoption and expansion of distance learning necessitates the consideration of issues related to learning passion, which is the strong desire of learners towards a specific activity of high value and meaning that enables the use of relevant cognitive and behavioral strategies to acquire, store, apply, share, use, absorb, and create knowledge. The current study aimed to measure learners' practices of learning emotion processes, knowledge management, and organization in distance learning environments using tangible indicators. The study utilized a descriptive correlational approach to identify the effects of the study variables, including learning emotion (harmonious passion-emotional obsession), on knowledge management through the mediating role of self-regulation in distance learning environments. The results show that learners' practices of learning emotion processes, knowledge management, and organization in distance learning environments were higher than average, and there was a significant correlation between emotion, self-regulation, and knowledge management. Additionally, learning emotion (harmonious passion and emotional obsession) had a statistically significant effect on self-organization processes and knowledge management. Structural equation modeling analysis confirmed the validity of the proposed path model, indicating that self-regulation plays a crucial role in mediating the relationship between emotion and knowledge management in distance learning environments.

The Relationship Between Family Accommodation and Anxiety Sensitivity in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Objective Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is an issue that has gained importance in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in recent years. Family accommodation (FA) is the participation of family members in compulsions and rituals. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the relationship between FA and AS in OCD and (2) determine the frequency and types of FA in a Turkish OCD sample. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with 81 OCD patients. The Yale-Brown Obsession Compulsion Scale (YBOCS), Family Accommodation Scale-Patient Form (FAS-PF), Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were administered to the patients. Results Family accommodation was extremely prevalent among family members of OCD patients. There were significant relationships between FA and ASI-3 total, ASI-3 cognitive subscale, ASI-3 psychical subscale, YBOCS, and BAI scores. In addition, ASI-3 total, ASI-3 cognitive subscale, and ASI-3 psychical subscale were significant predictors for family accommodation above and beyond the OCD severity. Conclusions The present study identified a significant association between anxiety sensitivity and family accommodation in OCD. Anxiety sensitivity is a relievable psychological trait. Alleviating anxiety sensitivity can decrease accommodating behaviors and may be beneficial in OCD treatment. Anxiety sensitivity may be a novel potential treatment target for OCD.

Determination of anxiety, depression, avoidance and obsessions experienced by hemodialysis patients during the COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to ascertain the levels of anxiety, despair, avoidance, and obsessions that hemodialysis patients dealt with during the pandemic. METHODS: The study was conducted with 139 hemodialysis patients. Research data "Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS)," "Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD)," "COVID-19 Avoidance Scale" (AA-COVID-19) and "Coronavirus Obsession Scale (OCS)." The data obtained from the research were analyzed using the SPSS 21 package program. RESULTS: The average score of the patients on the CAS scale was 0.73 ± 1.17, on the HAD-A scale was 5.94 ± 3.67, and on the HAD-D scale was 7.06 ± 3.89. The COVID-19 outbreak has consequently had a severe impact on hemodialysis patients' mental health. CONCLUSION: Covid 19 epidemic, the health sector failed to protect the mental health of patients. However, new epidemics and disasters await the world in the future. In these results show that new strategies need to be developed.

Effects of COVID-19 anxiety and obsession on fear of childbirth in high-risk pregnancy during the pandemic in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic may have significant effects on fear of childbirth among women undergoing a high-risk pregnancy. This study sought to determine the relationship between the COVID-19 obsession and anxiety levels of women with high-risk pregnancies and their fear of childbirth. METHODS: A total of 326 hospitalized women with high-risk pregnancies were evaluated between March 2021 and March 2022. The COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (CAS), COVID-19 Obsession Scale (OCS), and Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS, composed of two subscales, FOBS1-anxiety and FOBS2-fear) were administered. RESULTS: Positive correlations were found between the FOBS1 and FOBS2 scores and CAS and OCS total scores (p < .001). The participants with secondary school degrees, those who had not given birth before, those who had an unfavorable previous childbirth experience, and those who were planning to have vaginal delivery had significantly higher average FOBS1 and FOBS2 scores (p < .05). Those living in an extended family were 3.22 times more likely to experience FOBS1 and 2.23 times more likely to experience FOBS2 than those living in a nuclear family. Women following COVID-19 information were 3.69 times more likely than others to experience these symptoms. In addition, those scheduled for vaginal delivery were 1.80 times more likely to experience FOBS2 than those scheduled for caesarean section. CONCLUSION: Women with high-risk pregnancies may experience COVID-19 anxiety, which may worsen their fear of childbirth. Psychosocial interventions focused on addressing COVID-19 anxiety are warranted for women with high-risk pregnancies in Turkey and for those living in other areas of the world as well.

Death Distress and Religiosity Among Spanish Patients Diagnosed With Depression and Anxiety.

Death is a common source of uncertainty and fear for humans. Religious beliefs are among the strategies that alleviate such discomfort. The aim of this study was to explore the correlation between Death Distress and religious practices while considering other associated variables (near-death experiences, death of loved ones, and psychiatric diagnoses). The Death Anxiety Scale, Death Depression Scale-Revised, and Death Obsession Scale were administered to 400 Spanish psychiatric outpatients. Anxiety was found to be crucial for the development of Death Distress across all associations. A relation between Death Distress and Catholicism was found, albeit significantly mediated by the frequency of practice.

Love Addiction - Current Diagnostic and Therapeutic Paradigms in Clinical Psychology. (v2).

Background: We have investigated and analyzed the latest research on love addiction in the fields of clinical psychology, diagnosis, psychotherapy and treatment. Methods: From 30 November 2021 to July 2022 a review was conducted aimed at identifying the current diagnostic paradigms associated with this new behavioral dependence, investigating in depth what has not yet emerged, searching for strong and weak correlations with related theoretical constructs, comorbidities, investigate which evaluation scales are currently used and outline a guiding design that allows you to move between current scientific discoveries, searching for relevant studies in the databases PubMed, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), PsycINFO, MDPI, APA, ScienceDirect, and ReserchGate. Results: We identified a total of 102 unique articles. Among these, 22 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility and 5 of these met the eligibility criteria and were, therefore, included in the final systematic review. Conclusions: Group psychotherapy has proved to be a valid alternative, in fact the scientific landscape suggests that most group therapies are successful because these dynamics involve the reward and attachment systems in the brain in most subjects. Although there is currently no official classification for this type of addiction, the continuing interests of clinical psychology open up new scenarios for achieving greater psychophysical well-being.

The Relationship between Orthorexia Nervosa and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is characterized by an intense avoidance of foods considered unhealthy, obsession with healthy eating behaviors, and pathological fixation on healthy foods. Although there are still debates in the literature about the psychological factors and symptoms of ON, it should be noted that many of the symptoms share common features with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between ON and OCD with its subtypes. In this framework, the cross-sectional study was conducted with an opportunistic sample of 587 participants (86% women and 14% men), with an average age of 29.32 (s.d. = 11.29; age range = 15-74). Our work showed that almost all OCD subtypes were largely correlated with ON. The lowest correlation was for "Checking" and the highest for "Obsession". Overall, the OCD subtypes (i.e., Indecisiveness, Just Right, Obsession, and Hoarding) were more strongly associated with ON measures, while subtypes Checking and Contamination, although positively associated, had lower correlation coefficients.

Olfactory Obsessions: A Study of Prevalence and Phenomenology in the Course of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Olfactory obsessions (OOs) are rarely described in the medical literature. The features of OOs appear consistent with characteristics of a typical obsession, but since they do not involve the realm of thought, it is questionable to term them obsessions per se. Olfactory Reference Syndrome (ORS) presents OOs inconsistently and is a distinctive diagnostic category related to OCD. Therefore, the primary objectives of our study were not only to assess the prevalence of OOs in OCD patients, but also to demonstrate their phenomenological consistency with other OCD symptoms. The study group consisted of 75 patients already diagnosed and treated for OCD. Hence, a comparison was made between OCD patients with and without OOs in terms of: symptom severity, level of insight and comorbidities. Olfactory obsessions (OOs) were found in 21.33% (n = 16). OOs induced compulsive behavior in more than 93% of subjects. The presence of OOs did not significantly differentiate the studied groups in terms of OCD severity (p = 0.876), level of insight (p = 0.680), depression (p = 0.746), mania (p = 0.525) and OCDP traits (p = 0.624). However, a comparison of the two groups showed that OOs patients presented higher levels of hostility (p = 0.036), cognitive impulsivity (p = 0.039), magic-type obsession (75% vs. 35.59%), and contamination obsession (87.50% vs. 67.80%). Conclusions: OOs frequently occur in the course of OCD, and their phenomenology is typical of this disorder. OOs are not a symptom of thought content disorders and are sensory in nature, which is not included in the definition of obsession. The presence of OOs in OCD provokes hostility and cognitive impulsivity. It can be assumed that the Olfactory Obsessions Questionnaire accurately identifies olfactory obsessions.