Obsessive compulsive symptoms in individuals at clinical risk for psychosis: association with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation.

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms, particularly aggressive obsessions, are prevalent in schizophrenia patients and associated with other symptom severity, suicidal ideation and functional impairment. In a psychosis-risk cohort, obsessive-compulsive diagnosis and symptoms were assessed in terms of prevalence and content, and for associations with clinical measures. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms were prevalent in the CHR cohort, as was suicidal ideation. The presence and severity of aggressive obsessions were associated with depression, suicidal ideation and social impairment. The high prevalence of aggressive obsessions and associated suicidal ideation in a clinical high risk cohort, and their relationship to depression, is relevant for risk assessment and treatment strategies.