Reflective functioning in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) – preliminary findings of a comparison between reflective functioning (RF) in general and OCD-specific reflective functioning

Abstract

Several scales for rating the reflective function (RF) in different psychiatric syndromes (symptom-specific reflective function [SRF]) have been developed. In this study, the validity of a rating instrument for measuring obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD)-specific RF (OCD-SRF) was assessed. The study was conducted at two outpatient psychiatric facilities. A total of 18 women and 12 men were interviewed with adult attachment interview and the OCD–SRF interview. The patients also rated their symptoms on a self-rating scale (Yale-Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale [Y-BOCS]). The results indicated that there was a significant difference between the levels of RF in general and SRF. No correlations between Y-BOCS and RF or SRF were found. Illustrations of ratings are presented. The difference between RF and SRF, the relationship between SRF and symptom checklists, and a relational perspective on symptoms in OCD were discussed.

Keywords:

• obsessive-compulsive disorder
• reflective function
• mentalization