Religious and Familial Factors in the Etiology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Review

Abstract

The present study looks at the role of religious and familial factors in the etiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A review of the literature suggests that the results of the research in this area are not conclusive because many studies fail to consider the heterogeneous nature of OCD, many studies are poorly designed and do not include adequate measures of parental functioning, and the multidimensional aspects of religious phenomena are seldom recognized. It is recommended that additional studies be done that look at the ways in which specific kinds of family environments interact with particular dimensions of religion to influence the onset and development of different sub-types of OCD.