ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes findings regarding comorbidity and its relation to treatment outcome in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD frequently co-occurs with other anxiety disorders, depression, and personality disorders and traits. Obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptomology has also been commonly reported in patients with eating disorders and Tourette’s syndrome, but the prevalence of these conditions in patients with primary OCD has not been clearly established. Research on comorbidity and treatment outcome has had mixed and somewhat confusing results in relation to depressed and anxious mood and various personality traits, including schizotypal, borderline, dependent and passive-aggressive. Surprisingly, little of this research has focused on the effects of actual clinical comorbid diagnoses on outcome.
