Suicidal and Death Ideation among Adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Presenting for Intensive Intervention

Abstract

Background

This study examined the frequency and relation of death and/or suicidal ideation to treatment response in 101 adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) presenting for intensive intervention.

Methods

Within 2 days of admission to an intensive treatment program, 101 adults with OCD completed the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-Self Report, Quick Inventory of Depressive SymptomatologySelf Report, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form, and were administered the Columbia Suicide Scale by a trained clinician.

Results

A majority of patients reported death ideation within their lifetime (62.4%) and within the past month (67%). Approximately 12% of patients reported recent suicidal ideation. Patients with recent suicidal ideation reported significantly more depressive symptoms, more OCD symptoms, and less life satisfaction compared with patients not reporting suicidal ideation. Although prevalent, the presence of suicidal ideation was not associated with treatment response in the current sample.

Conclusions

Suicidal ideation and history are prevalent among patients being treated intensively and are associated with OCD severity and depression, but they do not predict intensive multimodal treatment response.