Discrimination and symptoms of obsessive–compulsive disorder among African Americans.

Abstract

This study examined symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in a nationally-representative sample of African American adults (n = 3,570), and correlations between OCD symptom dimensions and experiences of discrimination. Two categories of discrimination were examined, everyday racial discrimination and everyday non-racial discrimination (e.g., due to gender, age, and weight) to determine if racial discrimination had a unique impact on OCD symptoms. Results indicated that everyday racial discrimination was related to both categories of obsessions and all four categories of compulsions. Everyday non-racial discrimination, however, was not related to any of the categories of obsessions or compulsions. This indicates that racial discrimination is uniquely related to obsessions and compulsions for African Americans. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Microaggressions: Clarification, Evidence, and Impact

“…Although questioned by Lilienfeld, microaggressions and the largely overlapping construct termed everyday racial discrimination are in fact associated with many negative mental-health consequences, including stress (Torres, Driscoll, & Burrow, 2010), anxiety (Banks et al, 2006; Blume et al, 2012), depression (Huynh, 2012; Nadal, Griffin, Wong, Hamit, & Rasmus, 2014), symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (Williams, Printz, & DeLapp, 2018), low self-esteem (Nadal, Wong, Griffin, Davidoff, & Sriken, 2014; Thai et al, 2017), obsessive-compulsive disorder (Williams et al, 2017), substance use (T. T. Clark, Salas-Wright, Vaughn, & Whitfield, 2015; Gerrard et al, 2012), alcohol abuse (Blume, Lovato, Thyken, & Denny, 2012), severe psychological distress (Banks et al, 2006; Hurd, Varner, Caldwell, & Zimmerman, 2014), reduced self-efficacy (Forrest-Bank & Jenson, 2015), and suicide (Hollingsworth et al, 2017; O’Keefe, Wingate, Cole, Hollingsworth, & Tucker, 2015).…”

Cultural competency in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: practitioner guidelines

“…These findings suggest that amplified views about the importance of cleanliness among African Americans may function to compensate for negative stereotypes about African Americans. Williams et al (2017e) also found that African Americans who report everyday racial discrimination are more likely to experience contamination obsessions, as well as unacceptable thoughts obsessions. African Americans may also be hesitant to disclose sexual or aggressive obsessions for fear of validating false racial stereotypes of being sexually deviant or violent (Williams et al, 2017c).…”

“…Williams et al (2014) also detail how clinicians can provide psychoeducation about how racism may contribute to symptomatology (e.g. Williams et al, 2017e). Clients may further benefit from hearing examples of how treatment has benefited other minoritized clients with OCD (Williams et al, 2014).…”

<p>Chronic Noncancer Pain Management and Systemic Racism: Time to Move Toward Equal Care Standards</p>

“…Data suggest that due to perceptions of discrimination, many BIPOC individuals go so far as to delay, avoid seeking, or prematurely discontinue health care. [150][151][152][153] Again, BIPOC patients' access to adequate medical treatment becomes compromised, potentially resulting in increased morbidity and even mortality.…”