Epidemiological and Clinical Gender Differences in OCD

Abstract

Purpose of review: This review highlights recent research regarding gender differences in OCD, with a focus on prevalence, course of illness, symptom presentation, comorbidity, and treatment response.

Recent findings: Overall, findings remain mixed. OCD may be more common among males in childhood, but is more common among females in adolescence and adulthood. Males tend to report an earlier age of onset and present with symptoms related to blasphemous thoughts. Females often describe symptom onset as occurring during or after puberty or pregnancy and present with symptoms related to contamination and/or aggressive obsessions. Females also tend to report significantly higher depression and anxiety. There are no reported gender differences in treatment outcome. Gender may play a role in the onset, presentation, and impact of OCD symptoms. However, more work is needed to account for differences across studies, with one promising future direction being the study of reproductive hormones.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Exposure and response prevention; Gender differences; Obsessive-compulsive disorder.