Journal article
C. Pinciotti, Katherine L. Foshee, Blake M. Upshaw, Samuel D. Spencer, Jonathan Hershfield, Jennifer M. Park, Martin E. Franklin, Eric A. Storch
Psychiatry Research, 2026
Psychiatry Research, 2026
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APA
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Pinciotti, C., Foshee, K. L., Upshaw, B. M., Spencer, S. D., Hershfield, J., Park, J. M., … Storch, E. A. (2026). Prevalence and regional patterns of identity-related OCD across the United States: Findings from The National OCD Survey. Psychiatry Research.
Chicago/Turabian
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Pinciotti, C., Katherine L. Foshee, Blake M. Upshaw, Samuel D. Spencer, Jonathan Hershfield, Jennifer M. Park, Martin E. Franklin, and Eric A. Storch. “Prevalence and Regional Patterns of Identity-Related OCD across the United States: Findings from The National OCD Survey.” Psychiatry Research (2026).
MLA
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Pinciotti, C., et al. “Prevalence and Regional Patterns of Identity-Related OCD across the United States: Findings from The National OCD Survey.” Psychiatry Research, 2026.
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@article{c2026a,
title = {Prevalence and regional patterns of identity-related OCD across the United States: Findings from The National OCD Survey.},
year = {2026},
journal = {Psychiatry Research},
author = {Pinciotti, C. and Foshee, Katherine L. and Upshaw, Blake M. and Spencer, Samuel D. and Hershfield, Jonathan and Park, Jennifer M. and Franklin, Martin E. and Storch, Eric A.}
}
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is often understood to manifest based on individuals' core values, with symptom themes reflecting that which is personally meaningful and therefore threatening. Identity-related OCD themes - including pathological fears or doubts related to sexual orientation, gender identity, racism, disability/diagnostic status, aging, and poverty - may be particularly shaped by the values guided by sociocultural contexts. The United States provides a useful context for examining these cultural intersections, as culturally similar communities have historically clustered across eleven distinct sociocultural regions. Moreover, despite clinical observation suggesting increased frequency of identity-related OCD themes in recent years, their prevalence remains unclear. Using data from The National OCD Survey (N = 2917), the present study examined the prevalence and regional patterning of identity-related OCD themes across the United States. Overall, obsessions about disability/diagnostic status were most common, followed by racism, sexual orientation, aging, poverty, and lastly, gender identity. Notably, the prevalence of sexual orientation obsessions exceeded prior estimates, potentially reflecting a shift in the presentation and function of these symptoms. Regionally, identity-related OCD themes clustered in culturally meaningful ways, ostensibly reflecting regional differences in the centrality, stigmatization, and status loss associated with different identities or personal characteristics. Findings highlight the importance of sociocultural context in the emergence and presentation of OCD symptoms.