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Objective: To assess the prevalence of religious obsessions in a general psychiatry setting, review sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with religious obsessions, and explore the relation between these obsessions and religiosity. Method: In a general psychiatry setting (n = 1500), we have studied patients with an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and then in this sample, we have identified those who also had religious obsessions. Results: OCD was found in 9.6% (n 144) of patients. Religious obsessions are the most common and were found in 31.3% (n = 45) of patients in this group. Forty-five subjects (n.= 45) with religious obsessions were compared with 99 subjects (n = 99) with other types of obsessions. The total number of obsessions is significantly higher in patients with religious obsessions. Patients with religious obsessions have a significantly higher score at the religiosity scale. Conclusion: These results suggest that religious obsessions are common in patients with OCD, and that they are associated with religiosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A national epidemiologic survey was conducted in Morocco in 2003-2004 in order to assess the prevalence of mental disorders in a representative sample of the general population. Methods and subjects About 5,600 persons accepted to be interviewed. The instrument used was the M.I.N.I. in its colloquial Moroccan Arabic, which was validated in a previous study. Results The point prevalence of mental disorders was as follows: depressive disorders: 26.5%; suicidal ideation: 16.6%; bipolar disorder: 3.2%; Panic disorder: 6.6%; Social phobia: 6.3%; OCD: 6.6%; PTSD: 2.1%; alcohol dependence: 1.4%; substance abuse: 3.0%; GAD: 9.3%. All in all, about 48.9% of the sample showed one or another mental disorder. Comparisons will be shown with the same instruments in some European and some African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Current classifications of Mental Disorders are centered on Westernized concepts and constructs. “Cross-cultural sensitivity” emphasizes culturally-appropriate translations of symptoms and questions, assuming that concepts and constructs are applicable. Methods: Groups and individual psychiatrists from various cultures from Asia, Latin America, North Africa and Eastern Europe prepared descriptions of main symptoms and complaints of treatment-seeking women in their cultures, which are interpreted by clinicians as a manifestation of a clinically-relevant dysphoric disorder. They also transliterated the expressions of DSM IV criteria of main dysphoric disorders in their cultures. Results: In many non-western cultures the symptoms and constructs that are interpreted and treated as dysphoric disorders are mostly somatic and are different from the Western-centered DSM or ICD systems. In many cases the DSM and ICD criteria of depression and anxieties are not even acknowledged by patients. Limitations: The descriptive approach reported here is a preliminary step which involved local but Westernized clinicians-investigators following a biomedical thinking. It should be followed by a more systematic–comprehensive surveys in each culture. Conclusions: Westernized concepts and constructs of mental order and disorders are not necessarily universally applicable. Culturally-sensitive phenomena, treatments and treatment responses may be diversified. Attempts at their cross-cultural harmonization should take into consideration complex interactional multi-dimensional processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]